Viral video of Vietnam's minister for public security receiving a golden-leaf steak from Turkish chef Nusret Gökce (aka "Salt Bae") is causing outrage in Vietnam.
Viral video: To Lam's video was originally published on Gokce’s TikTok account. It amassed thousands before it was quickly deleted.
Lam can be seen enjoying the PS1,450 (roughly $1,900), tomahawk steak at Nusr-Et Steakhouse, Knightsbridge, London in the video. It was re-uploaded from Radio Free Asia.
Lam visited the restaurant following a United Nations summit on climate change (COP26) held in Glasgow. He also paid tribute to Karl Marx's burial in North London's Highgate Cemetery.
Lam, who is considered one of Vietnam's most powerful officers, is responsible for police and other agencies that investigate corruption and dissent.
According to Reuters, a minister in Vietnam is paid a monthly salary of approximately 16 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $700).
According to Vietnamese TikTok users, other uploads of the video were removed from the app because they violated "community standards".
Also, the video appears to show To An Xo, a Vietnamese ministry spokesperson, seated next to Lam.
The video's viewers criticized Lam for eating such extravagant meals, especially since his country's average monthly income is 3.45 million Vietnamese Dong (approximately $130), Vietnam Online reports.
Two months ago, Ho Chi Minh City was facing food shortages that overwhelmed hospitals and forced them to close during a COVID-19 total lockdown.
Facebook blocks #saltbae
"We have unblocked this hashtag from Facebook and are investigating why it happened," a spokesperson for Facebook's Meta said to Reuters.
Vietnam, a Communist-ruled country, regularly checks and removes any political content posted online.
Last year, the country threatened to close Facebook's borders if it didn't remove "anti-state" content.
Reuters reported that Facebook would not comment on whether the Vietnamese government asked for the video to be removed. However, the spokesperson confirmed that the hashtag was blocked globally for all Facebook users including Vietnam.
Gokce, after two months of entertaining diners at London's restaurants, announced on Instagram that Gokce will be leaving England to concentrate on opening his new restaurant in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
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