Promoting internal strength, awakening potential - Thong Thu aims for comprehensive development

Along with the strong transformation in economic structure, infrastructure, human resources and digital government construction, the locality is aiming for comprehensive and sustainable development, improving the material and spiritual life of people in border areas.

A place where Thai ethnic culture converges and the potential for border development

Thong Thu commune was established under Resolution No. 1678/NQ-UBTVQH15 dated June 16, 2025 of the National Assembly Standing Committee, on the basis of arranging the entire natural area and population of Dong Van commune and Thong Thu commune (old). Located at the border with the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the commune has a 33.737 km long border, more than 200 km from the provincial center, with a pair of Thong Thu - Nam Tay secondary border gates, trading goods with Laos. With a total natural area of ​​up to 706.75 km², Thong Thu commune currently has 1,922 households with 8,481 people living in 7 different ethnic groups. Of which, the Thai ethnic group accounts for the majority, over 97%, creating a unique and rich cultural feature of this land.

In recent years, the commune economy has been increasingly developed and expanded its access to the market economy. Many small retail services such as grocery trading, loans to buy transport vehicles, developing cage fish farming on the Hua Na Hydropower Reservoir, as well as raising livestock and poultry have been promoted. In addition, the planting and management of forests, especially precious medicinal plants such as golden flower tea, bon bo tree, macadamia, thousand year old tree, codonopsis, etc. also play an important role in the economic life of the people.

Culturally, the Thai people in Thong Thu commune still preserve their long-standing traditions through their costumes and typical cultural activities. Traditional costumes such as skirts, piêu scarves (xin, khan) are hand-woven and elaborately embroidered by the people. National cultural values ​​are preserved through folk art forms such as singing in streams, singing in bamboo poles, dancing in bamboo poles, gongs, carving in rows, wine-can dancing (lam vong dance), throwing con (con throwing), showing off, especially the Xang khan ceremony - a unique cultural feature. Traditional dishes such as canh ot (rice noodle soup), com lam (lamp rice cake), banh chung (rice cake), banh giay (rice cake) on Tet holiday and the new rice celebration (Khau Cam) are also preserved and maintained as unique cultural symbols of the community.

Thereby, Thong Thu commune is not only a border locality with a strategic position but also a place to preserve and promote the unique cultural values ​​of the Thai ethnic group, contributing to enriching the diverse cultural identity of the province.

Breakthrough in economic development, science, technology and environmental protection

In the period of 2020-2025, the locality has achieved many outstanding achievements in economic development, science, technology and environmental protection, contributing to improving people's lives and promoting comprehensive sustainable development. The average growth rate of added value reached 7.45%, with a clear shift in economic structure towards increasing the proportion of industry - construction and services. Average income per capita was raised to about 31,255 million VND, an increase of 37% compared to 2020. Total development investment capital is estimated at over 250 billion VND, creating favorable conditions for production and business sectors to develop evenly.

In the fields of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, the locality has effectively exploited its available potential. Aquaculture on the Hua Na hydroelectric reservoir has developed strongly with 912 cages, an increase of 725 cages compared to the beginning of the term. At the same time, a brand of fish in the reservoir that meets VietGAP standards has been built, typically the fish products of Mr. Lang Van Quy in Pu Duoc village. The crop structure has also been shifted towards diversity and efficiency with the rice cultivation area increasing to 484.4 hectares with a yield of 51.5 quintals/hectare. The total food output in 2025 is estimated at 2,322 tons, an average of 276 kg per person, contributing to ensuring food security.

Forestry continues to maintain sustainable development with a forest coverage rate of 89.24%. Forest management and protection are tightly organized through 18 effective forest protection teams. At the same time, many production models combined with forest protection have been implemented, such as restoring 5 hectares of lun forest and caring for nearly 840 hectares of FSC-certified forest. Projects to replicate livelihood models from indigenous trees with high economic value such as yellow flower tea, lun tree, and bon bo tree have been implemented on an area of ​​up to more than 1,200 hectares, contributing to raising awareness and income for people.

Livestock has developed strongly in both scale and quality, with a total herd of over 9,600 animals, of which buffalo, cows, pigs and goats have all grown steadily. The exploitation and protection of aquatic resources has also received special attention, with the construction of three co-management models in Khun Na, Muong Piet and Muong Phu villages. Policies to support investment in cages, specialty fish breeds such as sea bass, black carp, climbing perch and experimental pearl farming have been strongly implemented, contributing to increasing the economic value of the aquaculture industry, with an average exploitation output of 170 tons/year.

The industrial and construction sector maintained a growth rate of 7.88%, contributing 18.69% to the local economic structure. Small-scale handicraft activities were maintained and expanded with civil wood products and handicrafts from bamboo, rattan, and woven rattan. Some large enterprises such as Hua Na Hydropower Joint Stock Company and Dong Van Hydropower have created stable jobs for workers, while promoting infrastructure investment with a total capital of more than 250 billion VND in the period 2021-2025.

Trade and services have developed rapidly with an average growth rate of 7.93%, accounting for 17.72% of the economic structure. Diverse service activities, meeting the living and production needs of the people such as food services, raw material purchasing, transportation, eco-tourism at tourist destinations such as Suoi Pa waterfall, Huoi Ngan waterfall and Hua Na hydroelectric reservoir are increasingly developing, attracting the participation of many economic sectors, especially the private sector.

The synchronous implementation of national target programs, including the new rural construction program, economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, as well as the sustainable poverty reduction program, has created positive changes. The total investment resources for the programs reached tens of billions of VND, focusing on building infrastructure, education, health care, clean water and effective production models. The appearance of the countryside has been significantly improved with many villages meeting new rural standards, the poverty rate has decreased rapidly, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of the people.

In the field of science and technology, the locality focuses on applying technical advances in management and production. The application of information technology in administrative management and the development of cage fish farming models and the processing of snakehead products has increased the value of products, gradually forming a chain linking production to the market.

The work of resource management and environmental protection is carried out seriously with appropriate land use plans, widely granting land use right certificates to people, ensuring legal rights and creating favorable conditions for production. Environmental protection work, raising public awareness on plastic waste prevention and control, environmental sanitation are promoted with practical movements such as "Clean village, good fields". The rate of households using hygienic water for daily life reaches 85%, production and business establishments all ensure environmental requirements, contributing to preserving green, clean and beautiful landscapes.

At the same time, the cultural and social fields are also given due attention, with the maintenance and promotion of national cultural identity, improving the quality of education, health care, labor and employment. The rate of cultural households reaches over 85%, the grassroots health system is consolidated, ensuring effective medical examination, treatment and disease prevention and control. Vocational training and job placement for young people are carried out systematically, helping many young workers have the opportunity to work domestically and export labor.

Promoting internal strength, creating breakthroughs for comprehensive development

Entering the 2025 - 2030 term, on the basis of the positive results achieved in the previous period, the Party Committee and People of Thong Thu commune set the general goal of continuing to build a clean and strong Party and political system in all aspects. The focus of this term is to promote political, ideological and revolutionary ethics education for cadres and party members; consolidate and improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party organizations at all levels; promote the role of the great national unity bloc; thereby, mobilize and effectively use resources to create strong changes in socio-economic development, maintain national defense and security, ensure social order and safety and border security. The ultimate goal is to improve the material and spiritual life of the people.

To specify the development orientations in the new term, Thong Thu commune has established 26 key targets in the fields of economy, culture - society, environment, national defense - security, and at the same time, focusing on Party building and the political system. These targets are not only a measure of task performance but also a basis for management, supervision and evaluation of the effectiveness of the entire political system in the development process. On that basis, the commune clearly identified 4 key task groups, 3 strategic breakthroughs and 4 main solution groups, in order to maximize internal resources, take advantage of external resources, thereby creating consensus and combined strength from the entire political system and local people.

Three strategic breakthroughs are identified as key factors, decisive in promoting comprehensive development of the commune in the coming term.

The first,The commune will focus on promoting the application of science and technology in production, especially in the fields of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. This is to improve the productivity, quality and added value of local products, contributing to the construction and development of 2-2 OCOP products with 3 stars or more, thereby enhancing the position of local goods in the market.

Monday,Thong Thu commune will accelerate the digital transformation process in the management and operation of the government. Building a digital government not only improves management efficiency but also creates favorable conditions for people and businesses to access public services. At the same time, the commune will also prioritize investment and upgrading of technical infrastructure systems, in order to create an open business environment, attract investment, serve the goal of sustainable economic development and improve the quality of life for people.

Tuesday,Human resource development will be given top priority, associated with fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training. Thong Thu commune identifies this as a prerequisite to improve the quality of the local workforce, meeting development requirements in the new period. In addition, the commune will promote traditional cultural values, promote the spirit of innovation and creativity, and overcome stagnant and passive thinking in a part of cadres and people. Strongly arousing the desire to rise up, the will to be self-reliant and self-reliant will be the foundation for forming a generation of dynamic and responsible citizens, contributing to creating a breakthrough in development.

With the high determination and consensus of the entire political system and the active support of the people, Thong Thu commune believes that it will successfully complete the set goals, gradually bringing the locality to rapid, sustainable and comprehensive development in the period 2025 - 2030.