Working and living place of legendary spy recognized as national relic

Colonel Pham Ngoc Thao (sitting, holding microphone) in 1965. Photo: LIFE magazine

PANO – The working and living place of Colonel Pham Ngoc Thao (1922-1965), a legendary spy of Vietnam, in Ben Tre province was recently recognized as the national relic. He used to be in the cover of the governor of Kien Hoa (now Ben Tre province) from 1960 to 1962.

The 13,400 sq.m compound located at number 146 Hung Vuong street, Ben Tre city, Ben Tre province was built in 1878 in the French architecture.
The building was first used as the Counsellor Palace when Vietnam was under the French colonialist regime. Later, the building was chosen by the Republic of Vietnam as the working and living place for the provincial governor.

The recognition of the place as the national relic represents the deep acknowledgement by the Party, State, and people of the legendary heroic spy Pham Ngoc Thao, who contributed greatly to and laid down his own life for the cause of national reunification.