Borrowing land, exchanging land, and the story of trust.

In 2014, to expand Minh Son Kindergarten, the People's Committee of Minh Son commune at that time requested Mr. Nguyen Van Lai's family (village 2, former Minh Son commune, now Trieu Son commune) to cede over 950m2 of land. In return, the local authorities committed to allocating the family a resettlement plot near the commune's health station.

The wall that blocked the courtyard of Minh Son Kindergarten has been dismantled after the authorities found a satisfactory solution.

Trusting the local authorities, Mr. Lai handed over his land and received 50 million VND in compensation for the crops. The school was expanded and put into use, but for 10 years afterward, the promise of a "reciprocal" plot of land remained only on paper. More than 950 square meters of Mr. Lai's land, intended for the kindergarten expansion, is still listed on his family's land use rights certificate; no decision on land reclamation, subdivision, or any completed legal procedures have ever been made.

Since 2017, Mr. Lai's family has repeatedly petitioned the commune and district authorities, but their rights remain unresolved. Out of frustration, in June 2025, Mr. Lai built a fence dividing the kindergarten's courtyard. This quickly caused a stir in the local community. In response to this unusual situation, the local authorities encouraged and guided Mr. Lai's family to file a lawsuit to resolve the matter according to legal procedures. At the end of September 2025, the People's Court of Region 3 - Thanh Hoa Province heard the case and concluded that Mr. Lai's family's claim was justified. The court ordered the People's Committee of Trieu Son Commune and Minh Son Kindergarten to return the entire 950 square meters of land, along with a corresponding compensation payment for 11 years of land use.

"After working with and reaching an agreement with the new commune authorities on how to handle the case, the family proactively dismantled the fence, creating favorable conditions for teaching and learning at the school. The family is waiting until the end of December 2025 to receive the land back," Mr. Lai shared.

Not only in Trieu Son commune, a similar incident is occurring in the former Nga Son town (now Nga Son commune), attracting public attention recently. In 2021, during the implementation of the East National Highway 10 project, the People's Committee of Nga Son town at that time confiscated a portion of the residential land of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long and two other households; and simultaneously made a commitment to allocate new resettlement land. Significantly, the local authorities took the land from these households for road construction without any proper land confiscation decision as stipulated by law. At the end of April 2025, frustrated by repeated requests for their rights being addressed without resolution, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long and the two families whose land was affected built two fences across the asphalt road, completely blocking traffic. The fences were constructed on residential land for which land use right certificates were issued to households in 2009. To date, the two fences erected by the families have not been dismantled.

According to Le Ngoc Khanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nga Son commune: "The new commune government has mobilized and guided the families, and the land exchange plan has been agreed upon. However, to have sufficient legal basis for implementation, the locality is completing the necessary legal documents and procedures in accordance with regulations. After completing all procedures, the locality will hand over the new land to the households."

The seemingly "impossible" act of residents erecting fences in the middle of a kindergarten playground or blocking traffic within a residential area has become a topic of public debate recently. Behind these controversial incidents lies not just an isolated land dispute, but also a lesson in land management at the local level. Land is a major asset, closely linked to the livelihoods and futures of each family. Delays and inconsistencies in the implementation of commitments by local authorities to protect the legitimate rights of citizens can escalate into complex conflicts, affecting social order and public trust.

Text and photos: Minh Hien

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/muon-dat-doi-dat-va-cau-chuyen-niem-tin-270312.htm