Tô Lâm
Who was Tô Lâm?
Vietnamese politician and former Minister of Public Security who became General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in August 2024.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Tô Lâm (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Tô Lâm was born on July 10, 1957, in Nghĩa Trụ, Vietnam. He studied at the Central Police School, the Vietnam People's Security Academy, and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. He joined the Communist Party of Vietnam on August 22, 1981, and has worked for more than 40 years in the People's Public Security Forces, becoming a four-star General.
Lâm moved up through the security ranks steadily, holding positions like Director-General of the MPS First General Department of Security and Deputy Minister of Public Security. In 2016, he became Minister of Public Security, a role he kept for eight years. Since 2011, he's been part of the CPV Central Committee and joined the CPV Politburo in 2016, making him a key figure in Vietnam's government.
In May 2024, the CPV Central Committee nominated Lâm for Vietnam's president, following Võ Văn Thưởng's resignation during an anti-corruption crackdown. The National Assembly confirmed his appointment, and he left his ministerial duties to become president. He served as president from May to October 2024 before taking over as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in August 2024, after the death of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in July 2024. The General Secretary role is the top position in Vietnamese politics.
As General Secretary, Lâm took charge of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption and the Central Military Commission, continuing Trọng's policy efforts. He expanded efforts to reorganize administrative and government structures, merged government departments, and increased state efficiency. He reassumed the presidency in 2026, becoming Vietnam's 13th and current president, while still serving as General Secretary.
Lâm is married to Ngô Phương Ly. Throughout his career, he received many state honors, including the Order of Friendship, the Glorious Soldier Medal, the For National Security Medal, the Glorious Fighter Medal, the Order of José Martí, the Order of the Friendship of Peoples, the Military Exploit Order, the Feat Order, and the Royal Order of Sahametrei, as well as other Orders of Friendship from foreign countries.
Before Fame
Tô Lâm was born in 1957 in Nghĩa Trụ, a commune in Hưng Yên Province in northern Vietnam, during a time of intense political consolidation in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. He grew up during the later stages of the Vietnam War and the country's reunification in 1975, events that shaped the environment in which many Vietnamese officials matured.
Lâm started his career in the security and police forces early in his adult life, attending the Central Police School and later the Vietnam People's Security Academy. He officially joined the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1981, building his career entirely within the People's Public Security Forces. He furthered his education at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the top institution for training senior Vietnamese officials in Marxist-Leninist theory and party governance.
Key Achievements
- Appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in August 2024, the highest political office in the country
- Served as Minister of Public Security from 2016 to 2024, overseeing Vietnam's internal security apparatus
- Became the 13th President of Vietnam, serving two distinct presidential terms beginning in 2024 and 2026
- Rose to the rank of four-star General in the Vietnam People's Public Security after over four decades of service
- Assumed leadership of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption and the Central Military Commission following Nguyễn Phú Trọng's death
Did You Know?
- 01.Lâm held the ministerial post of Minister of Public Security for eight consecutive years, from 2016 to 2024, one of the longer tenures in that role in recent Vietnamese history.
- 02.He became General Secretary following the death of Nguyễn Phú Trọng in July 2024, making him only the second person to hold that office since 2011.
- 03.Lâm holds the rank of four-star General in the Vietnam People's Public Security, the highest rank available in that force.
- 04.He has received state honors from multiple countries, including Cuba's Order of José Martí and Cambodia's Royal Order of Sahametrei, reflecting his international diplomatic engagements.
- 05.Lâm served two separate terms as president of Vietnam, first from May to October 2024, and again from 2026 onward, while simultaneously holding the office of General Secretary.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of Friendship | — | — |
| Glorious Soldier Medal | — | — |
| For National Security Medal | — | — |
| Glorious Fighter Medal | — | — |
| Order of José Martí | — | — |
| Order of the Friendship of Peoples | — | — |
| Military Exploit Order | — | — |
| Feat Order | — | — |
| Royal Order of Sahametrei | — | — |
| Order of Friendship | — | — |