Van Thai Tran (Vietnamese: Trần Thái Văn; born October 19, 1964) is a Vietnamese American attorney and politician in California, formerly serving as a Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing portions of Orange County.

Tran took office one month before Vo did, making him the first Vietnamese American to serve in a state legislature.

Tran worked as an intern and later as a staff aide for Congressman Bob Dornan and for State Senator Ed Royce while a student at the University of California, Irvine, where he earned a B.A.

On December 21, 2005, Tran announced that he would launch an exploratory committee for a 2006 run against Democratic First District Orange County Supervisor Lou Correa in the race for the State Senate seat being vacated by term limited Democrat Joe Dunn.

[3] He ran, but lost the primary to state Assemblywoman Diane Harkey,[4] who went on to easily win the general election.