On September 8, Quang Tri province organized the 1st Quang Tri Provincial Press Award Award Program, 2025.
The investigative series "Infiltrating the hotspot of gold diggers in the forest of Quang Tri" by Lao Dong Newspaper, conducted by reporters Le Phi Long, Lam Hung Tho, Nguyen Cong Sang, Nguyen Van Luan, was awarded the B prize in the reportage and investigation category.
The series of articles is highly appreciated for its detection and direct reflection of illegal gold mining activities in the forest and the dedication of reporters in the process of working.
To carry out the series of articles, the group of reporters spent many days sticking to the area, crossing forests, approaching illegal gold mining points in the mountains and forests of Vinh O commune (former Vinh Linh district), now Ben Quan commune, Quang Tri province. During the working journey, reporters had to bring rice balls, boiled eggs, dry rations and necessary items to work for long days in the forest.
After the series of articles was published, functional forces intervened to inspect, dismantle many camps, seize tools for gold mining and organize controls in key areas.
Through review, in Ben Quan commune, it was determined that there are 7 areas with 33 illegal gold tunnels and furnaces on an area of more than 7,000 hectares of forest. Measures to sweep, inspect, handle and prevent illegal gold mining activities continue to be implemented to limit the recurrence of "gold miners", protect forest resources and the environment.
The first Quang Tri Provincial Press Award, 2025 is the first season after Quang Tri province merged, to recognize and honor outstanding journalistic works in 2025.
The first Quang Tri Press Award attracted 93 entries in all types such as print newspapers, radio, television, photo newspapers and online newspapers. On this occasion, the organizing committee awarded 1 A prize, 5 B prizes, and 8 C prizes to authors and groups of authors.
