Vietnam land title reforms face criticism over 'cọ' intermediary services

Former Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Professor Đặng Hùng Võ, said that while "cánh cò" (intermediaries) can deliver land title (red book) documents to citizens more quickly, the service must be transparent, publicly listed, registered and taxed. He highlighted complaints from voters in Nghệ An that ordinary applicants often have their land registration paperwork returned repeatedly, whereas intermediaries process applications faster.

Võ questioned why Vietnam, despite a strong push toward digitalization and the upcoming completion of a national land‑registry database by 2026, cannot achieve processing times comparable to Thailand, where the World Bank reported land transactions can be completed in a single day. He recounted his own experience three years ago, when he used an intermediary and the red‑book transfer in Hanoi took up to 35 days. Võ urged authorities to enforce registration of service providers, ensure tax compliance, and improve guidance to the public so that land‑use right procedures become efficient and equitable.