Vietnam proposes higher administrative fines and new enforcement measures

The Vietnamese government has submitted a draft amendment to the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations to the National Assembly. Presented by Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang, the proposal seeks to increase maximum administrative fines by 50%, raising the limit to 1.5 billion VND for individuals and 3 billion VND for organizations.

Key changes include extending the statute of limitations for certain violations to two or three years and introducing more stringent enforcement measures. Proposed coercive actions include temporary suspension of exit, sealing of business premises, suspension of electricity and water services, and halting internet or telecommunications services. The draft also aims to modernize the process by allowing for administrative penalties without written minutes when violations are detected via technical equipment and facilitating electronic processing.

During discussions, some National Assembly members raised concerns regarding the feasibility of these fines. Specifically, representatives noted that current traffic fines already exceed the monthly income of many citizens, suggesting that penalty levels should be better aligned with public income to ensure effective enforcement and prevent uncollectible debts.