Over the weekend, authorities in Can Tho City's Soc Trang Ward announced they had instructed police to investigate the group responsible for organizing the event. The probe was launched following the rapid circulation of videos on social media showing the party staged to resemble a traditional funeral.
Authorities have initially determined that the gathering, which took place on the evening of June 4, was hosted by a local coffin shop owner.
A still image from a video circulating online shows a group of people carrying a coffin along a street in Soc Trang Ward, Can Tho, for a birthday party on June 4, 2026.
Several short videos posted on Facebook on June 6 depicted a nighttime celebration attended by a large crowd under a tent on Le Duan Street.
The event featured a coffin, drums, a brass band, a condolence table, a memorial portrait, and attendees dressed in mourning attire. During the cake-cutting ceremony, the band played traditional funeral music while joss paper was burned.
