VietNamNet Bridge - The head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), Lai Xuan Thanh, has apologized to Tran Dinh Ba, an aviation expert, for asking the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to examine Ba’s doctorate.

In the letter to Ba, Thanh wrote he sincerely felt sorry about the incident, saying that this should not have happened among scientists who share a common interest in an airport project for the sake of the country’s development. 

Prior to the letter, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) had sent a dispatch to MOET, requesting MOET to determine whether Ba has a doctorate.

Ba became well-known in Vietnam recently after he repeatedly opposed the Long Thanh Airport project. Some days ago, Ba, introduced as an aviation expert with a doctorate, said that MOT had possibly copied Chek Lap Kok’s design.

MOT, which has been persistent in its plan to build Long Thanh Airport, has denied any copying, saying that the wrong information about the project could lead to serious consequences.

MOT’s action has been heavily criticized by the public. Dr. Nguyen Thien Tong, an aviation expert, commented that no one has the right to ask Ba to show his doctorate, because Ba is not employed in any job that requires a doctorate. Meanwhile, every Vietnamese citizen has the right to criticise and suggest opinions on social and economic issues.

Though Ba admitted he has not obtained a doctorate, he has been supported by the public.

“It is quite funny that MOT decided to ‘take revenge’ on Ba because the man strongly opposed the project suggested by MOT,” a reader said in an email to VietNamNet.

“Whether Ba has a doctorate as introduced by him and local newspapers is quite a different story,” he commented. “In this case, Ba just tried to have an opinion about a project which he believes is unnecessary.”

“I think MOT should be grateful to him because of his opinions instead of trying to take revenge by denouncing that he does not have a doctorate,” he wrote.

Dao Trong Thi, a renowned scientist and educator, commented: “State agencies should listen to reasonable opinions from anyone, no matter what degrees critics have,” adding that the right to an opinion does not depend on education level.

In this case, Thi commented that MOT should have refuted Ba’s arguments by showing convincing evidence rather than asking MOET to examine Ba’s education degrees.

However, Thi stressed that it is unacceptable for anyone to impersonate a scientist or doctor. The wrong title will be misleading. “Honesty is the most important virtue of a scientist,” he said.

Ngan Anh