TV station director found hanging dead

59-year-old Phan Thanh Van, director of the Long An Province Television and Broadcasting Station, was found hanging dead at home yesterday, local police reported.

Van was discovered at 10 am Tuesday in his house at 31 Bao Dinh Street, Ward 2, Tan An City, authorities said.

After discovering that he had not gone to work as usual, Van’s relatives called him, and after he didn’t answer they broke into his house and found his body.

Tran Minh Hung, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, visited the station to give his condolences to the staff and encourage them to maintain normal operation.

The committee has also issued a decision to assign Huynh Van Sau, the station’s deputy director, as acting director in order to conduct the station’s work.

Police are investigating the cause of the official’s death. Van was expected to retire in mid-2013.

Van was also a member of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association.

His relatives said he had been depressed over family issuess and lost a lot of weight before his death. He had also discipline for his shortcomings in managing the station, Dan Tri newswire reported.

Phan Thi Kieu Giang, Van’s daughter, has been accused of failing to pay debts to three local people. She has also been prosecuted on charges of “abusing trust to appropriate assets,” Dan Tri said.

The debts amount to VND700 million, and Giang has been arrested for not repaying her creditors, Lao Dong newspaper also reported.

Giang was hired onto the station by Van after she quit her job at a digital information company whose branch is located in Long An.