VinFast is once again making headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. Outspoken Vietnamese social media poster Sonnie Tran allegedly found himself in hot water for sharing critical reports about VinFast on Facebook. Tran was reportedly apprehended and interrogated in Vietnam by authorities in Ho Chi Minh City in December. He is now facing accusations of misusing his rights to freedom of speech and the press.
Tran, 37, posted several critical posts about Vietnam’s biggest domestic automaker to a widely read Facebook group called “Financial Expose.” His articles featured titles like “How VinFast Hid Itself,” “Fully Revealing the Developers Behind VinFast’s Vehicle Lines,” and “VF Sued in the US for Poor Quality Vehicles.”
In his posts, Tran raised allegations that VinFast’s vehicles were primarily designed by Indian and Chinese manufacturers. He also reported on lawsuits occurring in the U.S., a market where the automaker is trying to establish a presence.
Read: Vietnam’s VinFast Reports Owner To Police For “Untrue” Criticisms About His Car In YouTube Video
In addition, Tran claimed that VinFast was linked to various shell corporations, allegedly aimed at concealing losses and conducting complex financial transactions. He asserted that the articles were written to inform investors, but they have apparently angered the automaker.
VinFast accused Tran of violating Article 331 of the Vietnamese Criminal Code, according to an unverified source who spoke to BNN Breaking. The law seeks to punish people who harm the interests of the state or the interests of organizations and individuals by misusing their right to free speech.
Tran was reportedly detained in Ho Chi Minh City and held for a total of around 35 hours over four separate days, according to a Reddit posting. Reports suggest that his electronic devices were seized, he was questioned about his articles, and that he was asked whether any organizations were supporting him.
History of reporting and legal threats to U.S. critics
This is not the first instance of the Vietnamese automaker calling the authorities on its critics. In May 2021, Vinfast reported YouTuber Tran Van Hoang to the police over a video in which he expressed pride in owning a VinFast car but highlighted certain problems. Vinfast publicly acknowledged that it had reported the customer to the police citing “inaccurate” complaints made in those videos.
“This is the first time we have reported someone to the authorities in order to protect our reputation and our customers,” VinFast told Reuters at the time. “If a similar incident were to occur when operating in the United States, we will also submit a request to the authorities in accordance with local law, and to protect our legal rights,” the company added.
As reported by The Drive, American media outlets almost unanimously roasted the new Vinfast VF8, with complaints about its quality echoing across the automotive landscape. MotorTrend humorously noted that they’ve driven prototypes that were more production-ready than the actual in-production car. Road & Track went straight to the point, labeling it as “Unacceptable,” while InsideEVs didn’t hold back, describing the suspension as “crap” that induces “motion sickness.” Even Jalopnik chimed in, declaring that the SUV was simply not ready for American consumption.
