“Twenty-three new khu phố.” That’s the administrative shake-up that defines Phường Đông Hưng Thuận today. Đông Hưng Thuận is a ward in District 12 of Ho Chi Minh City. It is a vibrant area with a rich history. We are standing at the gateway to the heart of Quận 12.
Đông Hưng Thuận’s story stretches back to French colonial times. Back then it was a village. It was part of Tổng Bình Thạnh Hạ in Gò Vấp district. This was in Gia Định province. The village of Đông Hưng Thuận formed by merging four older villages. These villages date back to the Nguyễn Dynasty. They were Tân Đông Trung, Tân Hội, Thuận Kiều and Trung Hưng.
In 1955 the government of the Republic of Vietnam incorporated Tổng Bình Thạnh Hạ into Hóc Môn district. After 1956 villages became known as communes. The commune of Đông Hưng Thuận also absorbed land from Tân Đông Thượng village. It became the commune of Đông Hưng Tân in Hóc Môn district. After 1975 the commune Đông Hưng Tân got a new name. It became the commune of Đông Hưng Thuận.
In 1988 a significant decision altered Đông Hưng Thuận. 145 hectares of land were separated. This land included parts of Ấp Hàng Sao and Ấp Tân Hưng. 461 hectares from Trung Mỹ Tây commune was added. This included Ấp Đông and Ấp Chánh Tây. This formed the new commune of Tân Chánh Hiệp. 141 hectares of Đồng Tiến hamlet was merged into Trung Mỹ Tây commune. After these adjustments, the commune of Đông Hưng Thuận covered 428 hectares. It had a population of 19807. It comprised six hamlets. These were Hàng Sao, Tân Hưng, Đồng Tiến, Cây Sộp, Chợ Cầu and Bàu Nai.
In 1997 the government established District 12. It was formed from parts of Hóc Môn district. This included the entire area and population of five communes. These were An Phú Đông, Đông Hưng Thuận, Tân Thới Hiệp, Tân Thới Nhất and Thạnh Lộc. Parts of two other communes were included as well. Those were Tân Chánh Hiệp and Trung Mỹ Tây. The government also established Đông Hưng Thuận ward. It was based on the existing commune of Đông Hưng Thuận. At that time, Đông Hưng Thuận ward covered 428 hectares. It had a population of 27097 people.
In 2006, a further change occurred. The government decided to create Tân Hưng Thuận ward. 181.08 hectares were taken from Đông Hưng Thuận ward. This area had 24829 residents. After this adjustment, Đông Hưng Thuận ward was reduced. It then had 255.20 hectares and a population of 33068. Today Đông Hưng Thuận covers 2.55 square kilometers. In 2021 its population was 46250. This equals a density of 18137 people per square kilometer.
Đông Hưng Thuận is not just a collection of statistics. It is a living community. It has schools, religious sites and economic activity. There is a college and vocational schools here. You can find high schools and elementary schools too. Several religious buildings dot the landscape. These include five pagodas, a monastery and a few worship places. A church called Giáo xứ Chợ Cầu stands here. Also, there is a group of Protestants, Gia Hô Va. You can even find family temples like the Nguyễn family. Đông Hưng Thuận has a thriving commercial sector. There are over a thousand businesses. Most are in trade or services.
Today Đông Hưng Thuận continues to evolve. It balances progress with preserving its rich heritage. As you explore Đông Hưng Thuận remember its journey. From a collection of villages to a modern urban ward, its story is still unfolding.