A glimpse of the Pine Tree...

(Baonghean)At this time, Thong Thu – a remote borderland in the mountainous district of Que Phong – has become a fascinating destination. The presence of the Hua Na Hydroelectric Power Plant has created a new, magnificent landscape, harmoniously blending with nature, villages, and human activities. And as always, the new also contains new "stories and feelings"...

A panoramic view of the center of Thong Thu commune (seen from Thong Thu Border Guard Post).

...We followed National Highway 48 to the Phu Phuong intersection (Tien Phong commune, Que Phong district), turned right, and continued for about 30 kilometers along the extended section of National Highway 48. After passing through Dong Van commune, we reached Thong Thu. Our final stop was border marker 363, adjacent to the area belonging to the Vieng Phan village cluster, Xam Tay district, Hua Phan province of Laos.

Thong Thu has 13 villages, 1,081 households, and 4,563 inhabitants, comprising three ethnic groups: Kinh, Thai, and Tho, with 99% being Thai people. Along both sides of the main road, the resettlement areas of Pu Sai Cang, Na Luom, Huoi Dua, Na Hum, Huoi Sai... are densely packed with wooden stilt houses, bearing the distinctive and unmistakable architectural features of the highland people. Along with the schools, health stations, offices, electricity, and water infrastructure built with government investment... all create striking features in the majestic green landscape of the Pu Hoat mountains.

In Loc village (the center of Thong Thu commune), together with the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, Luong Thi Hong, we were helped by officials from the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board to fulfill our wish to visit and admire the vast expanse of thousands of hectares of water surface of the Hua Na Hydroelectric Reservoir, to better understand the connection of this large-scale hydroelectric project with the mountains, forests, and people of this area. According to the design, the reservoir of the Hua Na Hydroelectric Power Plant covers over 5,300 square kilometers. According to officials from the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, the reservoir, spanning thousands of hectares, has unique islands formed by the junctions of mountains where the Chu River rises, creating numerous "narrow passages" that can be explored by motorboat all day long. On the clear, tranquil surface of the Hua Na Hydroelectric Reservoir, the scenery of Thong Thu is even more beautiful. The islets jutting out of the water, the floating boat-like "houses" made of bamboo and thatch belonging to the fishermen, the withered trees swaying in countless shapes on the lake, the white egrets soaring, the rows of trees, the rice paddies... and even the slopes eroded by floods—all resemble ink paintings, beautiful, wild, solitary, and mysterious...

Officials from Thong Thu commune and Pu Hoat Nature Reserve visited a household raising fish in cages on the Hua Na hydroelectric reservoir.

The natural landscape is as it is, and although "the Hua Na hydroelectric reservoir is also creating jobs in fishing for about a quarter of the people in Thong Thu commune," the commune's chairwoman, Luong Thi Hong, is still not very happy. Amidst the noise of the motorboat's engine, she raised her voice: "We are worried that in 2016, when the 30 kg/person/month rice subsidy ends, the people of Thong Thu who gave up their old land for the vast reservoir will face great difficulties..." This is an old story that is still being talked about repeatedly. Nearly two years ago, when we went to Que Phong for work, we visited many resettlement areas in Tien Phong, Dong Van, and Thong Thu to hear and see the difficulties of the people there. At that time, their daily lives depended on the rice subsidy from the project. Land reclamation and the provision of seeds and livestock for production development had hardly been carried out. The people mainly produced crops such as corn, potatoes, cassava, and vegetables; Livestock and poultry farming relies solely on what existed before, in a fragmented and small-scale manner... One might think that things would be different after all this time, but according to Ms. Hong, it remains the same. Thong Thu once had nearly 140 hectares of rice paddies, but after the planning and construction of the Hua Na Hydropower Plant, only 61 hectares remained; and as many as 2,500 hectares of forest land had to be converted. Therefore, with 8 villages and 769 households relocated and resettled, the people have a great need for agricultural land, but the investor has not yet organized land reclamation and allocation...

The chairwoman of Thong Thu commune, Luong Thi Hong, confided: "It's been five years since we moved to our new home, but the people of Thong Thu still have fond memories of their old home. Don't be quick to blame them. Because even I feel the same way. Occasionally, in the late afternoons, I still go to the Thong Thu bridge and look down at the lake. My old village, Loc, was only a short distance from the bridge, but now it's submerged deep in water. Many nights, I dream about my old home. I see myself living with my parents and siblings in the old house as before. Then I suddenly wake up, startled, and tears well up again..." At first, one might wonder if even officials feel this way, let alone the people? But thinking about it, who wouldn't have fond memories of a place that once held an ancestral altar and a village tradition of joys and sorrows for hundreds of years? But for the national interest, for the sake of a new life filled with hopes for prosperity, it's "necessary" to make sacrifices. No, it's an honor to "contribute" to a national-level project that benefits the people!... That's why officials must educate the people so they understand.

Suddenly becoming excited as the motorboat glided across the large lake, the Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Luong Thi Hong commune recounted: "During the relocation campaign in Na Cang village, at the meeting, an elderly person stood up and said, 'Hong, who elected you to be the commune chairwoman? This land, since before you were born, has been inhabited by the ancestors of the villagers for generations. Why are you now listening to others and driving the villagers away?' At that moment, tears welled up in my eyes, and I choked out, 'Please, ladies and gentlemen, listen to me. I was elected as the commune chairwoman because you elected me. Therefore, I have a responsibility to everyone. If you don't listen to me and stubbornly refuse to relocate, when they dam the Chu River and the water rises, everyone will be in danger...' That night, I cried all night. I felt helpless because I couldn't convince my people. Out of love for my wife, the next morning my husband (a teacher at Thong Thu Secondary School) told the principal about it." The men went back to Na Cang together, joining the commune officials in campaigning. Then the villagers agreed and enthusiastically began the relocation, "uprooting" the old roots...

Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuong is fishing on the Hua Na hydroelectric reservoir.

We inquired about the reforestation program, a project that Que Phong district is actively promoting to create income-generating jobs for the people. According to the commune's chairwoman, Luong Thi Hong, only about 5 hectares have been planted so far, and it's a spontaneous initiative despite the abundance of land for forestry production in Thong Thu. Lost in conversation, we drifted towards Dong Van without realizing it. Here, as in Thong Thu, many people make a living by fishing on the lake... For example, Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuong, residing in Bang village, Dong Van commune, and his family have built floating houses and "settled" on the lake to cast nets and raise fish in cages. During our conversation, Mr. Tuong said: "I go back to the village once or twice a day to buy necessities, but for the most part, I live on the lake fishing to earn money to support my family while waiting to be allocated land for production."

Understanding the lives of people in resettlement areas, the staff of the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve are very concerned about forest protection. According to them, since the Hua Na Hydropower Plant dammed the Chu River, the water level rose, creating a large lake that has boosted the development of vegetation and aquatic species. In addition, many animal species have migrated to the area, increasing the biodiversity of the Reserve. This is especially true for the islands in the middle of the lake, areas where people previously practiced slash-and-burn agriculture. With the lake, the almost abandoned fields and plantations have now been reforested... "In Thong Thu commune alone, the forest area of ​​Pu Hoat Nature Reserve covers over 29,000 hectares. Currently, about 390 people have been contracted to protect the forest, each managing 5-30 hectares; they benefit from the forest environmental service payment policy. Having received contracts and being educated, people are more conscious of protecting the forest. However, sustainability is not high. Because the lives of people, not only in Thong Thu, but also in Dong Van and Tien Phong, still depend heavily on the forest. If we don't implement sustainable long-term job creation strategies, it's easy for people to return to the forest for their livelihood. In that case, forest protection will become extremely difficult..." - Deputy Director of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, Mr. Le Phung Dieu, expressed his concern.

At this point, our initial excitement about exploring the majestic beauty of the Thong Thu mountain range suddenly subsided. We realized that since the construction of the Hua Na Hydropower Plant, the landscape of Thong Thu and its surrounding areas has transformed. Along with the biodiversity of the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, and historical sites and scenic spots like the Sao Va waterfall and the Nine-Room Temple, Que Phong district has become a fascinating tourist destination, attractive enough to draw visitors in. These values ​​must be cherished and protected. But to protect and promote these values, we must start with issues related to the lives of the local people. We wonder if it's fair that the investor hasn't fully addressed the essential needs of the people who gave up their ancestral land for the Hua Na Hydropower Plant project. If this situation persists, will the hydropower reservoir area still be picturesque, and what will the future hold for the Pu Hoat mountain range...?

Nhat Lan - Dao Tuan