Article 3: 'Effective public relations' in the profession of civil enforcement

(Chinhphu.vn) - Beyond applying the law, many civil enforcement officers must skillfully employ "people-oriented" methods, even using their own ethnic languages ​​to persuade and convince the parties involved. From cases that have dragged on for decades to disputes in Khmer communities, perseverance, understanding, and a flexible approach have helped many judgments be enforced without coercion, contributing to resolving conflicts and maintaining consensus within the community.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Danh, Deputy Head of Civil Enforcement Department of Vinh Long province, recounts a case of enforcement that dragged on for 14 years. Photo: VGP/Dieu Anh

"The 7th Enforcement Officer" and the case that dragged on for 14 years.

A civil enforcement case in Vinh Long province, which has dragged on since 2011 and spanned six different enforcement officers, remains unresolved.

According to the records, the case was enforced based on judgment No. 01/2021/KDTM-ST dated February 25, 2021, of the People's Court of Vinh Long province and the request for enforcement of the judgment from the Vietnam Investment and Development Bank - Vinh Long Branch.

Based on that, the Civil Enforcement Department of Vinh Long province issued an enforcement decision stating that the debtor, Tu Giang Co., Ltd., represented by Ms. LTH as its legal representative, is obligated to pay the bank the principal amount of over 483 million VND, interest calculated up to February 24, 2011, of over 1 billion VND, and continue to bear interest according to the credit agreement.

From the time the enforcement order was issued in October 2018 until the judgment was fully executed in April 2025, the case file has been transferred through six enforcement officers, but it remains unresolved due to the relatively difficult and complex nature of the case.

The core reason for the difficulty in enforcing the judgment is that the party obligated to comply is Tu Giang Co., Ltd., the first enterprise established in Vinh Long province. For Ms. LTH, the company is both her passion and the inheritance left by her parents. Therefore, agreeing to seize the assets to enforce the judgment is very difficult, leading to Ms. LTH's strong reactions and lack of cooperation with the enforcement agency in handling the assets.

Moreover, the collateral was not owned by the business but registered under the name of Ms. LTĐ (Ms. LTH's mother, and Ms. Đ has passed away).

The mortgaged property also lacks a land use certificate; the mortgage documents only include a land survey extract from 1997. Another portion of the mortgaged property is cemetery land, specifically the burial plot of Ms. LTH's family; another portion is currently a road; and some plots of land that exist on the records no longer do.

Furthermore, because the property owner has passed away, the heirs have not yet completed the procedures for declaring the inheritance, and the land plots mortgaged to the bank have changed in reality... therefore, the Civil Enforcement Agency of Vinh Long province has not yet carried out the seizure and processing of the mortgaged assets to enforce the judgment for the bank.

Handling these assets is difficult and time-consuming if the approach involves asset seizure. The company has ceased operations and has no revenue to fulfill its payment obligations.

Prior to such an incident, when assigned to receive the case file in March 2024, in his role as an enforcement officer at the time, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Danh, Deputy Head of Civil Enforcement of Vinh Long province, did not choose a rigid approach with coercive measures. Instead, he spent time researching and reviewing the entire file, meeting with co-heirs, listening to the family's concerns, and skillfully applying "people-to-people" methods to resolve each issue.

Mr. Danh analyzed the legal regulations while persuading the family to see this as an opportunity to resolve the long-standing debt while still retaining their parents' assets. He suggested that family members encourage Ms. H. to cooperate with the enforcement agency and contact the bank to negotiate the enforcement. At the same time, he urged them to proactively work with the bank, based on legal regulations, to consider waiving or reducing the interest appropriately given the circumstances of the case.

This process involved numerous dialogues, at times seemingly reaching a deadlock, but through perseverance, persuasive skills, and analysis combining legal arguments with the enforcement officer's understanding, the parties finally agreed on an implementation plan: Tu Giang Company would pay 2.7 billion VND to the bank; the bank agreed to waive or reduce over 2.6 billion VND in interest and release all assets from collateral.

A case that dragged on for 14 years was resolved without the need for coercive measures. For those working in civil enforcement, this is not only the result of law enforcement, but also the success of perseverance, understanding, and the art of skillful "people-to-people diplomacy" to help the parties voluntarily find common ground.

The "legal interpreter" in the Khmer ethnic minority region.

If the story of Mr. Nguyen Hoang Danh demonstrates flexibility in "people mobilization" work, then the more than 17-year journey of enforcement officer Thach Da Ra, from the Civil Enforcement Department of Region 13, Vinh Long province, is proof of a very special experience in civil enforcement in ethnic minority areas: To make people understand and comply with the law, one must first understand their language, customs, and way of thinking.

Enforcement officer Thach Da Ra, from the Civil Enforcement Department of Region 13, Vinh Long province, shared a story about a land dispute in the Khmer ethnic minority area. Photo: VGP/Dieu Anh

As a Khmer ethnic minority, Mr. Da Ra has worked for many years in areas with large Khmer populations in the former Tra Vinh province, now part of Vinh Long province. In practice, for cases involving ethnic minorities, enforcement agencies often prioritize assigning enforcement officers who are of the same ethnic group or who understand the local language and customs to directly handle and persuade the parties involved. This is because in many cases, the biggest obstacle lies not in legal regulations, but in the language and psychological gap.

According to Mr. Da Ra, in the Khmer community, simply reading out the enforcement order using dry legal terminology can easily make people feel pressured, leading to negative reactions. "People often don't fully understand the legal regulations, but they will listen if you speak in their own language, with sincerity and respect," Mr. Da Ra shared.

Recounting the execution of a typical land dispute case, Mr. Da Ra shared: The dispute over more than 400 square meters of land between Ms. Luu Thi Sang (the judgment creditor) and Ms. Kim Thi Sa Dan (the judgment debtor) caused the enforcement agency many difficulties. The judgment debtor was an elderly Khmer woman who had been attached to the land her whole life and absolutely refused to return it.

Recognizing this as a sensitive issue requiring an understanding of the culture and psychology of the ethnic minority people, the agency assigned Mr. Da Ra to directly engage in persuasion and negotiation.

Instead of hastily resorting to coercion, he took advantage of traditional Khmer festivals, when family members were gathered together, to visit their homes and talk in Khmer. He not only explained the legal regulations but also coordinated with local authorities and influential figures to alleviate the concerns of the families involved.

Mr. Dara understood that, for many elderly Khmer people, land is not only an asset but also a place where they have spent their entire lives, a source of family memories and a livelihood for their descendants. Therefore, to successfully persuade them, it is essential to first build trust.

After numerous meetings and persuasion efforts by enforcement officer Da Ra, Ms. Kim Thi Sa Dan voluntarily agreed to hand over the land. The handover took place in an orderly manner, without any incidents or the need for forced eviction.

What makes Mr. Da Ra happiest is not completing the enforcement of the judgment, but seeing people understand and voluntarily comply with the law. "When people see that I am sincere, they will listen and gradually understand the law," he said.

After hearing each story about the enforcement profession, it's clear that behind every judgment lies a family, a life, a fortune accumulated over many years, and even long-standing conflicts that seemed impossible to resolve. Therefore, those working in civil enforcement not only need professional competence but also patience, skillful public relations, and compassion.

Dieu Anh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/bai-3-dan-van-kheo-trong-chuyen-nghe-thi-hanh-an-dan-su-102260525223236835.htm