On April 20, 2025, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, Le Van Dung, signed a document addressing localities regarding the proposal to rename administrative units following their rearrangement. This move comes in the wake of a resolution issued by the Provincial Party Committee on April 18, 2025, that aims to consolidate 233 commune-level administrative units into just 88.
The resolution, known as No. 45-NQ/TU, outlines the merging of Party organizations and administrative units at both the commune and provincial levels. However, feedback from local voters has prompted the provincial government to reconsider the naming of these units based on historical, traditional, and cultural factors. Dung noted that many citizens expressed concerns that the proposed naming conventions, which suggested assigning numbers to new administrative units, would strip away significant cultural and historical identities.
"The People's Committee of the province requests localities to study Article 7 of Resolution 76 from April 14, 2025, of the National Assembly Standing Committee regarding the rearrangement of administrative units. If there are different name proposals compared to Resolution No. 45-NQ/TU, they must be reported to the Provincial People's Committee through the Department of Internal Affairs before 8:00 AM on April 21, 2025," Dung stated.
In the proposed restructuring, the names of the communes in Tam Ky City will include: Tam Ky, Tam Ky Dong, Tam Ky Nam, and Tam Ky Bac. Meanwhile, Hoi An City will retain three wards and one commune named Hoi An, Hoi An Dong, Hoi An Tay, and Tan Hiep commune (located on Cu Lao Cham island).
In addition to Quang Nam, other provinces like Thanh Hoa are also undergoing significant administrative restructuring. According to reports, Thanh Hoa province plans to reduce its number of communes and wards by more than 380 after the rearrangement, with urban areas and coastal plains seeing the largest reductions.
Specifically, Thanh Hoa City will see a staggering reduction of over 85% in its administrative units, dropping from 47 to just 7 wards. Similarly, the coastal city of Sam Son will shrink from 10 wards and communes down to only two, representing an 80% decrease. Hoang Hoa district will also see a significant cut, reducing from 36 communes and towns to 8, a nearly 78% reduction. In contrast, 11 mountainous and border districts will experience a lower rate of reduction.
Muong Lat is notable for being the only district that will maintain all 8 of its current communes, despite not meeting population criteria, due to its vast area and challenging terrain, which is home to many ethnic minorities.
In terms of naming new administrative units, two methods have been proposed: naming them after famous local places or using the old district/town name followed by a serial number. Nguyen Doan Anh, Secretary of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, has encouraged the latter approach for ease of management and digital transformation.
As part of the ongoing restructuring efforts, Thanh Hoa plans to finalize its project within a week, gathering public opinion before the Provincial People's Council votes on the matter and submits it to the Government by May 1, 2025. This timeline reflects the urgency and significance of the administrative changes being implemented across various provinces in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, in Hanoi, the city is also preparing to rename 126 communes and wards as part of its own administrative restructuring, with plans to report to the Government by May 1, 2025. The People's Committees of districts, towns, and cities in Hanoi are tasked with collecting public opinions, which must be completed by April 22, 2025. Following this, the People's Councils will convene to approve resolutions supporting the rearrangement by April 26, 2025.
Hanoi's reorganization involves significant changes to its wards. For instance, Hoan Kiem district, which currently has 18 wards, is expected to be reorganized into Hoan Kiem and Cua Nam wards. Additionally, two wards—Chuong Duong and Phuc Tan—are set to merge with wards from Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, Hai Ba Trung, and Long Bien districts to form a new ward named Hong Ha.
Ba Dinh district, with 13 wards, will be consolidated into three: Ba Dinh, Ngoc Ha, and Giang Vo. Similarly, Hai Ba Trung district will be reduced from 15 wards to three: Hai Ba Trung, Bach Mai, and Vinh Tuy. Other districts like Dong Da and Tay Ho will also see their wards reshaped significantly.
As these administrative changes unfold, local leaders are emphasizing the importance of community input, ensuring that the new names reflect the historical and cultural significance of the areas involved. The proposed changes are not just about efficiency; they also aim to preserve the identity and heritage of the communities within these administrative units.
In summary, the administrative restructuring across Vietnam's provinces is a significant undertaking, with a focus on both efficiency and cultural preservation. As local governments work to finalize their proposals and gather public input, the outcomes of these efforts will shape the future of local governance in the country.
