Series of prolonged violations
Recently, Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) issued a document requesting the Departments of Industry and Trade of Lao Cai and Phu Tho provinces to coordinate in inspecting and rectifying business operations at rest stops on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway due to many long-standing shortcomings, causing public outrage.
According to VEC, although it has repeatedly reminded and requested station operators to stop and comply with contracts and legal regulations on business, food safety, and environment, in reality, there is still a situation of not strict compliance, slow rectification, low service quality, affecting consumer rights and the image of the expressway.
VEC proposed to inspect 5 rest stops at km 22+900, 117+500, 171+500 and 239+900, focusing on business conditions, listing - selling at the right price, goods quality, food safety, product origin and protecting consumer rights.
5 rest stops about to be inspected include: Km117+500 rest stop (both sides of the route) managed and operated by Phu Thinh Phu Tho Joint Stock Company.
Km171+500 rest stop (right side of the route) managed and operated by Vietnam Expressway Service Joint Stock Company; Km171+500 rest stop (left side of the route) managed and operated by 27/7 Thanh Xuan Joint Stock Company.
Km239+900 rest stop (both sides of the route) managed and operated by Long Hai Investment Service Co., Ltd. and Km22+900 rest stop (both sides of the route) managed and operated by Phuoc An Co., Ltd.
Based on the inspection results, localities are requested to apply handling measures and request violation remediation. Although it is assessed as a drastic move, in reality, violations at rest stops on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway have been simmering for many years.
Previously, in 2023, VEC discovered that the Km117+500 rest stop managed by Phu Thinh Phu Tho Joint Stock Company had many violations such as building a power charging station without a permit, collecting hygiene fees against regulations, unsanitary environment, and traffic unsafety.
Although it has been requested to rectify, the situation of collecting toilet fees "bypassing the law", goods not listed at prices, selling higher than the market still recurs.
More seriously, in 2024, VEC also sued Phu Thinh Phu Tho Joint Stock Company in the court of Tran Yen district (old Yen Bai province).
In the lawsuit, VEC requested the court to annul the Contract for Km117+500 rest stop on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway; Force Phu Thinh Phu Tho Joint Stock Company to terminate operations at the rest stop at Km117+500 and return/return the site according to regulations.
Not allowed to place money boxes in public toilets
Mr. Hoang Duy Hai, Head of Market Management Team No. 7, Lao Cai Provincial Market Management Sub-Department, said: As soon as the Department of Industry and Trade gave instructions, the unit arranged forces to directly go to rest stops in the area managed by the unit on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway to inspect and evaluate.
Through inspection, we discovered some goods of unclear origin and made records of handling according to regulations. At the same time, we also requested the station operator to sign a commitment not to re-offend; along with that, propagate and mobilize stations to stop and rest to strictly implement the provisions of law, serving customers in the best way," Mr. Hai said.
Mr. Vu Tien Dinh, in charge of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway (VEC) supervision office, also informed: In the past time, one of the most pressing issues reflected by people is the fact that station management units intentionally collect sanitation fees from customers.
VEC affirmed that this is an act contrary to contract regulations and violates the law. Placing money boxes in the public toilet area in any form is not allowed.
The ultimate goal is to establish a civilized and polite business order, ensuring that each rest stop on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway is truly a safe and quality stopover for people.
Building a rest stop on agricultural land
Not only small violations, along the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, there are also illegal construction rest stops that have been operating for many years.
In 2024, Lao Dong Newspaper reflected that rest stop 98-IC11 (former Ha Hoa district, Phu Tho province) was illegally built on agricultural land and road corridor land for a long time.
Although it has been fined 115 million VND (Decision No. 311/QD-XPVPHC) and forced to dismantle the violating construction, the remediation has not been carried out, the risk of "fines to exist", legalizing violations is causing public concern. This rest stop is invested and built by Rest Stop 98 Co., Ltd.
In document No. 4964/SNNMT-QLDD, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Phu Tho province concluded that Station Rest 98 Co., Ltd. has used and built a number of construction items serving the project outside the boundary, commercial and service land area that has been leased land by the Provincial People's Committee.
The document shows that the total area exceeded is 3,360m2, encroaching on rice land, perennial crop land, residential land in rural areas and traffic works land (Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway corridor, in front of the project).
In October 2025, Vice Chairman of Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee Phan Trong Tan directed and requested Van Lang Commune People's Committee to be responsible for organizing inspections and thoroughly handling administrative violations in the field of construction and land for Station Rest 98 Co., Ltd., completion time before November 5th.
In case the violating organization does not comply, request the implementation of coercive measures according to regulations; report and propose to the Provincial People's Committee contents beyond authority (if any).
On January 21, in an exchange with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Chairman of Van Lang Commune People's Committee, Phu Tho province said that since the direction, the commune has coordinated to inspect the rest stop and organize meetings with businesses once.
Enterprises have partially dismantled the works, now it is necessary to continue to review the land handling procedures to see how far the old Ha Hoa District People's Committee has done before to continue handling," Mr. Tuan said.
