HANOI -- A gang of Vietnamese youths attacked another and stabbed one youth to death after an argument that started in an Internet chat room, state-controlled media reported Saturday.

Nguyen the Sang, 26, died en route to hospital in Hanoi, according to Tuoi Tre (Youth)newspaper.

Sang, who lived in the wealthy old quarter of Hanoi, apparently had an ongoing feud between his friends and rival gang of young men played out in Internet chat rooms.

His friends say two sides exchanged curses and the chat ended with a threat by the other youths to "teach you a lesson," the newspaper said.

On Thursday night, as sang and 3 other friends were drinking in a lakeside cafe, a taxi pulled up and four youths jumped out with long knives and started at Sang's group. Sang's friends managed to get away, but he was caught. Police are investigating but have made no arrests.

The death was the third Internet-related murder in Vietnam in a year. In August, a man was arrested for having the finance of his former girlfriend killed. The woman had met both men on the Internet.

And in July, a young boy who pretended to be a young available girl was killed by his enraged prank victims.

At least 70 per cent of internet users under 25 in Vietnam primarily use it for chatting and meeting new people, according to a recent government survey. (DPA)