Department of Cultural Heritage requests report on Nguyen Dynasty throne encroachment

VHO - The Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) has sent a document requesting Hue city to inspect, verify and report on the damage related to the incident of the national treasure, the Nguyen Dynasty Throne, being violated.

National treasure The Nguyen Dynasty throne on display at the Thai Hoa Palace relic before it was damaged. Photo: S.THUY

On May 25, speaking with Van Hoa , Ms. Le Thi Thu Hien - Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) said that she had sent a document requesting Hue city to inspect, verify, and report on the damage related to the incident of the national treasure, the Nguyen Dynasty Throne (royal throne), being violated.

At the same time, there is a plan to protect and preserve national treasures and artifacts at the relic.

According to the People's Committee of Hue City, the City Police Investigation Agency is also conducting a psychiatric assessment of Ho Van Phuong Tam - the subject who violated the national treasure, the Nguyen Dynasty Throne.

Previously, at around 12 noon on May 24, Ho Van Phuong Tam (42 years old, residing in Huong Long ward, Phu Xuan district, Hue city) bought a ticket to visit the Hue Imperial Palace heritage site.

Upon entering the Thai Hoa Palace relic, this subject crossed the security barrier and sat on the Nguyen Dynasty throne. This person showed signs of mental disorder, screaming, smashing and damaging the armrest (left side) of the throne.

The armrest of the throne was broken by Ho Van Phuong Tam.

Through camera footage, at the time of the incident, there were two guards at Thai Hoa Palace. When Ho Van Phuong Tam entered the palace, the guards saw that he was acting abnormally so they invited him to go to the back, but he sneaked into the throne display area.

To prevent the subject from acting rashly and destroying other artifacts in the relic, the guards approached and persuaded the subject to go outside and called for support.

At around 12:10 p.m., the authorities were able to control Ho Van Phuong Tam.

Extracted from camera at Thai Hoa Palace when the authorities approached and controlled the subject

According to the police, since 1990, Tam and his family moved to Ho Chi Minh City to live. But then he rented a room on his own and frequently changed his place of residence.

In 2023, the People's Court of Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City decided to apply administrative measures to send Ho Van Phuong Tam to a compulsory drug rehabilitation facility.

In May 2025, this subject returned to Hue and asked to stay at a relative's house but was then chased away and wandered around.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/cuc-di-san-van-hoa-yeu-cau-bao-cao-vu-ngai-vua-trieu-nguyen-bi-xam-hai-136687.html