People line up to see off the coffin of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.
At 7:00 p.m. (March 19), the coffin of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was taken from his hometown in Cu Chi to the Reunification Hall (HCMC) to hold a state funeral.
On the afternoon of March 19, thousands of people from districts in Ho Chi Minh City continued to visit the late Prime Minister Phan Van Khai at his private home in Tan Thong Hoi commune (Cu Chi district). To the sound of musicSoul of the dead, groups of people solemnly held a silent ceremony, paying their respects before the coffin. Security was tightened. Hundreds of people from the traffic police, military control, local authorities... blocked the roads from National Highway 22 to the funeral area.
Having just returned home after a long overseas trip, at 4:40 p.m., Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc led a government delegation to pay his respects.Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court Nguyen Hoa Binh, Head of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung... visited and shared with the family of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for quite a while.
The delegation also inspected preparations to move the late Prime Minister's body from Cu Chi district to Thong Nhat Hall, a distance of more than 50 km, to hold a funeral according to the National Funeral ceremony from tomorrow morning.
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Mot (82 years old) and hundreds of people continuously watched the live broadcast of the funeral at her home. "In the hamlet, everyone knows Mr. Sau Khai. To us, he is a sociable, lovable and respectable person," she said, her voice filled with sadness.
Military control forces guide vehicles during the preparation of the funeral procession.
At 7 p.m., after the monks performed the funeral procession, the honor guard and relatives of the late Prime Minister Phan Van Khai took turns bringing the portrait and coffin to the hearse.
People of Tan Thong Hoi commune stood solemnly by the roadside to see off the late Prime Minister's coffin to Thong Nhat Hall.
"I took my son to visit him and pray for his soul to soon be liberated," said the mother of Le Hien Vinh (5 years old).
"I pray for Uncle Sau to return to the Western Paradise in peace. I pray for peace and prosperity for the country and the people," said Nguyen Thai Lai (72 years old), a Buddhist at Hoang Phap Pagoda, clasping her hands and praying.
According to plan, the coffin was taken from his hometown in Cu Chi district along National Highway 22 to Truong Chinh, Cong Hoa, Nguyen Van Troi, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia to Thong Nhat Hall.
The funeral of former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai was held under the National Funeral protocol for two days. The Funeral Committee has 33 members headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
At 8:30 p.m., the motorcade brought the coffin to the Reunification Hall as planned.
The visitation will begin at 8am on March 20 and end on March 21 at Thong Nhat Hall. The memorial service will take place at 7:30am on March 22, with burial at 11am the same day at his hometown cemetery in Tan Thong Hoi commune, Cu Chi district.
At the same time, in Hanoi, the funeral and memorial service were held at the International Conference Center at 11 Le Hong Phong.
