Intoxicated Man Arrested After Damaging Ancient Throne in Vietnam’s Historic Hue Palace
A man was taken into custody on Saturday after allegedly breaking the armrest off a centuries-old throne deemed a national treasure, Vietnamese state media reported.
The throne, a relic from the Nguyen Dynasty—the last royal dynasty in Vietnam’s history, ruling from 1802 to 1945—is housed in Hue’s Thái Hòa Palace. This palace is regarded as the city’s most significant historical structure, where emperors once held court and conducted royal ceremonies.
Hue, the former imperial capital located in central Vietnam, was established by the Nguyen Dynasty and is now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its royal palaces, tombs, and other monuments.
According to Vietnam News, the incident occurred shortly after noon on Saturday, when a man displaying “signs of severe intoxication” breached a restricted area inside the palace. He climbed onto the ceremonial throne, began shouting incoherently, and broke off its left armrest.
A photo shared by Nhân Dân, the official newspaper of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, captures a broken section of the throne’s armrest—decorated with a dragon’s head—lying on the ground, alongside two other pieces.
According to Vietnam News, the man responsible for damaging the throne has been referred for psychiatric evaluation due to his “unstable mental state,” which involved “delusions and unclear speech.”
The state news outlet also mentioned that security is being strengthened throughout the heritage site, particularly to safeguard “artifacts and national treasures.”
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