Thắng was born in 1960. Thắng's father is Toàn and his mother was Viêm Nguyễn. His paternal grandparents were Thu and Tiệp Trịnh. He has a brother and five sisters, named Thái, Ninh, Bình, Thọ, Khanh and Hòa. He is the youngest of the seven children.