Vietnam’s Phu Tho to build $40 million bridge amid criminal probe into collapse

PHU THO, Vietnam — Authorities in Phu Tho province have approved a 1,000 billion VND plan to build a new bridge across the Lo River after a nearly decade-old structure was deemed unsafe for travel.

The project in Doan Hung commune received approval in principle from the Prime Minister and will be funded by the state budget. Construction is scheduled to begin March 1, 2026, and is expected to take one year to complete.

The new span will be located approximately 2.4 kilometers downstream from the original bridge. The existing structure, which was completed in 2015, suffered severe damage following the 2024 storm season.

Officials said the foundations have eroded, leaving rusted steel rebar exposed on several pilings. To accommodate local travelers, the military installed a temporary pontoon bridge on Feb. 15.

Phu Tho provincial police have launched a criminal investigation into potential construction violations related to the project. The probe aims to identify individuals and organizations responsible for the bridge’s rapid deterioration after only nine years in service.

The premature failure of the Song Lo Bridge, a critical infrastructure project commissioned just nine years ago, has emerged as a stark indictment of public works quality and oversight in Vietnam. The bridge’s rapid deterioration, necessitating a total replacement, represents more than a logistical disruption; it serves as a high-profile warning regarding the systemic vulnerabilities within the country’s state-funded construction sector.

The most significant development in the fallout is the decision by the Phu Tho provincial police to initiate a criminal investigation. By escalating the matter to a criminal inquiry, authorities are signaling that the failure is being treated not as an unavoidable natural disaster, but as a likely result of professional negligence, regulatory non-compliance, or corruption during the construction and supervision phases. This probe will serve as a litmus test for the government’s broader anti-corruption mandate, specifically its ability to enforce accountability in a sector historically prone to high-level malfeasance.

The situation further highlights a jarring disconnect between long-term policy goals and localized execution. The Prime Minister’s recent directive that the replacement bridge must be built with a "100-year vision" stands in sharp contrast to the nine-year lifespan of the current structure. This gap between high-level rhetoric and project durability underscores a persistent crisis in public investment management.

With the replacement cost projected to exceed 1 trillion VND, the incident imposes a substantial and avoidable burden on the national budget. Beyond the immediate fiscal impact, the Song Lo case is expected to catalyze demands for more rigorous oversight frameworks and transparent bidding processes, as Hanoi seeks to mitigate the long-term economic risks of substandard infrastructure development.

For many Vietnamese Americans, reports of rapidly deteriorating infrastructure back home serve as a stark validation of deep-seated concerns regarding systemic corruption and governance issues. Whether discussed in the nail salons of Westminster or over bowls of phở in Little Saigon, these stories reinforce a widespread perception within the community that institutional mismanagement remains a significant hurdle for the country’s development.