Normally, the eviction of a member from the Politburo of a ruling Communist Party would be a sign of internal friction and potential political instability. In the case of Vietnam, with its unparalleled history of collective leadership such an event was barely thinkable, especially just a year after the reshuffle of top posts at the once-in-five-years party congress. Yet the recent ouster of Dinh La Thang, Minister of Transport and Ho Chi Minh party boss has thus far sent few ripples of discord.