Na Loi: Border area builds sustainable development goals

Geographical location and natural conditions

Na Loi commune was established on July 1, 2025 on the basis of merging the original Dooc May commune and Na Loi commune (belonging to the old Ky Son district). It is a commune located in a mountainous area, directly bordering Laos. With a border of nearly 7 km adjacent to Noong Het district (Xieng Khouang province, Lao PDR), Na Loi holds a particularly important geopolitical position in the national defense and security strategy.

Na Loi has a natural area of ​​141.86 km², mostly mountainous, complex terrain, steep slopes, interspersed with narrow valleys. The river and stream system is quite dense, including many small streams and creeks, creating biodiversity and favorable conditions for agricultural, forestry, livestock production and providing domestic water for the people.

The whole commune has 11 villages with 852 households, a total population of 4,321 people, with 4 ethnic groups living together; including: 997 Khmu people (accounting for 23.07%); 2,090 Mong people (accounting for 48.37%); 1,213 Thai people (accounting for 28.07%); 21 Kinh people (accounting for 0.49%).

The climate in Na Loi is typical of the highlands of the North Central region, with cold and foggy winters and a cool microclimate all year round (the old Dooc May region). Summers are relatively hot, with heavy rain and frequent flash floods and landslides. However, diverse natural conditions have created for Na Loi rich resources of forests, land and precious medicinal herbs, favorable for the development of forestry economy, raising large livestock and endemic agricultural products such as black chickens, black pigs, raising cool fish, and growing fragrant Na Loi rice.

History and tradition

Na Loi commune is a long-standing residential area of ​​ethnic minorities, mainly Mong, Thai, Kho Mu. Through the history of exploration, settlement and protection of the homeland, the people of Na Loi commune have formed traditional villages with a rich cultural identity, many unique customs, practices and festivals associated with spiritual life and agricultural production methods.

During the two resistance wars against France and the US, the people of Na Loi commune and the people of Ky Son district (old) contributed their manpower and resources, both producing and fighting to protect their homeland, contributing to the overall victory of the nation. During the renovation period, the Party Committee, government and people of Na Loi commune continued to promote the tradition of solidarity, diligence, overcoming difficulties, and striving to build their homeland to develop more and more.

Population, culture-society

The total population of Na Loi commune is 4,321 people, distributed in 11 villages, of which the proportion of ethnic minorities accounts for over 99%. People mainly live by growing rice, corn, raising buffalo, cows, pigs, chickens, associated with forest protection and development.

The cultural and spiritual life of the people of Na Loi commune is very rich, expressed through customs, practices, beliefs, traditional festivals, folk songs and dances such as xoe dance, khen dance, khen be blowing, khen moi... These are unique values, contributing to the unique cultural identity of this border land.

In recent years, Na Loi commune has paid attention to developing education, health care and cultural and social fields. The whole commune has 5 schools (2 kindergartens, 2 primary schools, 1 secondary school), and 2 medical stations. The school system has been gradually consolidated, the rate of children going to school has increased significantly, reaching over 95%. People's health care has been improved thanks to the grassroots health network, combined with traditional medicine. Although people's lives are still difficult, the spirit of community solidarity and the close-knit bond of ethnic minorities are still important resources for the commune to gradually develop.

Economy and new rural construction

The economy of Na Loi commune currently relies mainly on agriculture, forestry and livestock. People have known how to combine slash-and-burn cultivation with afforestation, exploiting non-timber forest products, developing herds of buffaloes, cows, black chickens, ducks, black pigs, brocade weaving, etc. Some economic models of households, cooperatives and craft villages have initially brought about efficiency, contributing to increasing income.

Thanks to the attention of the State, many essential infrastructure works such as roads, national power grid, schools, and medical stations have been invested, creating favorable conditions to promote socio-economic development. Na Loi commune is also gradually implementing national target programs, focusing on developing transport infrastructure, improving cultural life, sustainable poverty reduction, improving the environment, and building a strong political system.

Defense, security and foreign affairs

As a border commune, Na Loi commune plays an important role in protecting national sovereignty and border security. Over the years, local Party committees, authorities and armed forces, militia and border guards have always closely coordinated, regularly patrolled and controlled the border, prevented infiltration and smuggling, and maintained political security, order and social safety.

With a rich foreign affairs work, the Party Committee, government and people of Na Loi commune regularly organize regular exchanges, visits, thematic and ad hoc activities with the authorities, local units and people of districts and villages sharing the border with Laos. People on both sides of the border have close relations, regularly visit, exchange goods, support each other in life and production, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and mutually developed border.

Development orientation

The whole country has entered a new era, an era of national growth, rapid and sustainable development on the basis of science - technology, innovation, creativity and digital transformation. Implementing the 2-level local government model, arranging the apparatus in the political system to be increasingly streamlined, compact, strong, operating effectively, efficiently and effectively. In the 2025 - 2030 term, the Na Loi Commune Party Committee continues to inherit the achievements of the past terms, promote overall strength, create new momentum to be determined to successfully implement the set goals and targets.

The achievements in recent times are an important premise to accelerate the pace of socio-economic development; the apparatus is streamlined, operating effectively and efficiently. Na Loi commune always receives attention and support from provincial levels, departments, branches, sponsors, businesses, etc.

The cadres and people of all ethnic groups in the commune have a tradition of hard work, are always united, comply with the policies and laws of the State, the close guidance of the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee, strive to compete in patriotism, and successfully implement the policies and guidelines set forth by the Party and the State.

However, the commune also faces challenges such as: Low economic starting point; Limited potential and internal strength, weak infrastructure, limited budget revenue in the area, difficult living conditions for the majority of the population, high poverty rate. The capacity of some officials is still weak. The commune is a key area for security and defense, complicated weather and epidemic developments will be factors that significantly affect the leadership, direction and implementation of tasks in the commune.

The Party Committee of Na Loi commune has set the goals for the new term: Improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party Committee, build a strong political system. Promote democracy, innovation, creativity, the strength of great solidarity and consensus among ethnic groups. Take care of economic development, focusing on developing household economy, cooperatives, and forming a commodity economy. Improve the quality of education and health care, build and implement cultural institutions; preserve and promote the cultural identity values ​​of the Mong, Thai, and Kho Mu ethnic groups in the commune. Strengthen national defense and security, firmly consolidate foreign relations with units and localities of Laos that share the border. Mobilize and effectively use resources, promote internal resources, arouse aspirations and determination to build Na Loi commune to soon escape poverty and develop sustainably.

In particular, some key orientations in the coming period, Na Loi commune aims to promote economic restructuring towards sustainable agricultural and forestry development, combining the exploitation of advantages in medicinal herbs, large-scale livestock farming, afforestation with processing, and at the same time, developing trade services. In addition, the commune continues to pay attention to educational development, improving the quality of human resources, preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups, associated with the development of community tourism and eco-tourism.

Regarding national defense and security, Na Loi commune is determined to maintain political stability, social order and safety, build a national defense posture associated with a solid people's security posture and border defense. People's foreign affairs continue to be strengthened, consolidating the special solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Laos, contributing to maintaining a peaceful, stable and cooperative border.

Na Loi - a remote border land of the Fatherland, although still facing many difficulties, is rich in tradition, rich in identity and full of development potential. With the attention of the Party, the State, the efforts of the Party Committee, the government and the people of all ethnic groups, Na Loi commune will always strive, unite to overcome difficulties, complete the socio-economic development goals, ensure national defense, security and foreign affairs.