Điện Biên Phủ ward, newly established by merging five former wards, Him Lam, Tân Thanh, Mường Thanh, Thanh Bình, and Thanh Trường, and Thanh Minh commune, now faces overlapping names of residential groups. These groups, numbered sequentially as Residential Groups 1, 2, 3, etc., have the same names but are scattered across different geographic areas, making it difficult to identify specific locations.

Nguyễn Văn Lâm, a delivery worker, shared: “Because of name duplications, I often have to make several phone calls to confirm the location. Sometimes I even have to ask for the name of the old ward before the merger to find the address. There have been times when I spent hours searching without success and had to return the package.”

This situation not only wastes time and resources for logistics providers but also affects citizens’ access to delivery and public services.

Similarly, Mường Thanh ward also faces duplicated group names such as “Residential Group 9,” causing inconvenience for residents. Nguyễn Thị Lan, a local, noted: “Currently there are two Residential Groups 9 in the ward. To avoid confusion, we still refer to them by their former ward names, but it is clear that renaming them for consistency is necessary in the long run.”

This problem is not limited to urban wards. In rural areas, many communes also report overlapping village names. For example, Thanh Nưa commune has four villages named “Thanh Bình,” leading to complications in administrative records and civil procedures like bank account registration or contract agreements.

Duplicate names increase the likelihood of errors in address information, forcing residents to provide additional documentation or repeatedly clarify their location, resulting in delays and reduced efficiency in public services.

While awaiting official guidelines, some localities are using temporary naming methods by appending the names of the former administrative units to avoid confusion and ensure the continuity of services.

Nguyễn Văn Quý, an official at Mường Thanh ward, stated: “As we test the two-tier governance model, we’ve recognized the complications caused by name duplication. Renaming is essential and must be carefully considered to reflect each locality’s cultural and historical characteristics, ensuring administrative consistency and ease of management.”

Renaming villages and residential groups is thus crucial to ensure uniformity in administrative processes and convenience for the people.

On July 4, 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Official Letter No.4753/BNV-CQĐP, addressing challenges in implementing the two-tier local government model. For duplicated names, commune-level People’s Committees are to develop renaming plans and seek public opinion. If more than 50% of household representatives agree, the plan will be finalized and submitted to the commune-level People’s Council for approval. This guidance provides a practical legal basis for localities in Điện Biên to resolve inconsistencies and meet the legitimate expectations of residents.