On August 16, 2026, allegations emerged against Lâm Thị Phương Thanh, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, accusing her of plagiarism in her master's thesis completed at the National University of Hanoi in 2009. The claims were made in a post by author Nguyễn Phước Duy on the forum "Liêm Chính Khoa Học" (Scientific Integrity), which highlighted that Thanh allegedly copied around 30 pages of content from various sources in her thesis titled "Protecting the Rights of Children Against Juvenile Offenders."

According to the allegations, out of the total 80 pages of her thesis, 22 pages lacked proper citations, while eight pages contained verbatim text with sources cited. The post pointed out a clear pattern in Thanh's thesis where she used content from multiple authors without adequately distinguishing her own writing from borrowed material.

Thanh, who is 59 years old, is married to Nguyễn Sỹ Cương, a former member of the National Assembly, who was involved in a controversial traffic incident that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old student in May 2025. This incident has also drawn public scrutiny and outrage.

In response to the plagiarism allegations, a post on social media sparked discussions, with one user questioning the integrity of obtaining a master's degree without a genuine commitment to scientific research. The situation has escalated, with authorities in Hanoi reportedly deploying police and plainclothes officers to prevent young people from laying flowers at the site of the fatal accident involving Cương's vehicle.

Furthermore, the first post in the series of allegations against Thanh was blocked by Facebook in Vietnam, reportedly at the request of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, where she serves as the head. This has raised concerns about censorship and the protection of academic integrity in Vietnam.

The ongoing situation highlights the challenges faced by public figures in maintaining credibility and accountability, especially in the context of academic standards and ethical conduct.