Unlicensed vehicles disguised as Lao vehicles.

(Baonghean)Currently, the number of unlicensed passenger buses with Lao license plates operating haphazardly in the communes of Dien Thai, Dien Thap, Dien Hong, and Dien Ky (Dien Chau district) is increasing. These "illegal" vehicles are causing traffic safety hazards and resulting in lost tax revenue and road maintenance fees.

A passenger bus with a Lao license plate is loading and unloading goods on route 205.

Dien Thap (Dien Chau) could be called the "capital" of illegal taxis disguised as Lao vehicles. Along the paved road from Dien Thap to Do Thanh commune (Yen Thanh), you can see long lines of passenger buses and trucks with Lao license plates stretching for kilometers. A passenger bus with Lao license plate UN 0586 is being loaded with goods. Water pipes, pots, pans, buckets, mattresses, and other goods are piled high on the roof. The side panels of the bus are also opened to stuff goods in. A bus conductor said: "We transport both people and goods to Vientiane. If there's cargo, we deliver it; if we send a lot, we get a discounted price." Right next to it is a bus with license plate UN 5678 loaded with heavy goods on its roof, mainly stainless steel chairs and benches, even some iron and steel goods loosely secured. The driver, named K, said: "If you're going to Laos, the bus departs at 2 AM. The ticket to Vientiane costs 300,000 VND. The bus travels along Route 8 near the Cau Treo border crossing in Ha Tinh. Here, each house is its own 'bus station,' with signs posted in front of the gate announcing the routes and departure times. For example, Thao Nga bus company specializes in the Dien Chau - Pakse - Xalavan (Laos) route, while Minh Tan bus company specializes in the Vientiane - Vinh - Yen Thanh - Dien Chau route... The operation of these 'illegal' buses with Lao license plates is to pick up goods on odd-numbered days and depart at 1-2 AM on even-numbered days."

Ms. Tran Thi T., a local resident, expressed her frustration: "Every afternoon, unlicensed trucks with Lao license plates speed recklessly through the dusty road in Dien Xuan commune, then park, occupying the entire road and sidewalk in Dien Thap commune. The most dangerous thing is that the drivers flip the truck bed covers sideways, blocking the road, to load goods. One evening, at dusk, I was riding my motorbike and crashed into the cover and fell."

Another worrying aspect is that many passenger buses with Lao license plates look very old, many have worn tires, lack seat belts, and some have been modified to carry extra passengers and goods. We witnessed one passenger bus with a Lao license plate whose leaf springs broke due to the excessive weight of the cargo. The owner had to unload the goods, not to replace the springs, but to reinforce them with an old one. The taillights on this bus were broken, the seat upholstery was torn, and the windows were damaged.

It is known that in the past, people in Dien Thap mainly traded scrap metal in Laos. When they had the means, they also bought passenger cars to transport people and various goods to serve the Lao market. The danger is that on the way back from Laos, these unlicensed vehicles carry both passengers and all kinds of discarded goods such as electronics, refrigerators, air conditioners, flammable and explosive materials, including welding equipment. From just one or two such vehicles, there are now over 40 passenger cars with Lao license plates. These vehicles have long been operating erratically, such as deviating from their designated routes and transporting wild animals. From 2010 to the present, authorities have apprehended numerous cases of vehicles with Lao license plates in Dien Chau transporting wild animals including turtles, black bears, bear paws, and clouded leopards. Recently, authorities also discovered a vehicle with Lao license plate UN 1909, driven by Le Hong Bac, residing in Dien Hong - Dien Chau, carrying 1.3 tons of rosewood hidden on the roof and in the cargo area, valued at over 1 billion VND.

Most passenger buses with Lao license plates operating in Dien Chau are 100% owned by Vietnamese citizens, registered under the names of Lao nationals. However, they lack the necessary business registration procedures in Vietnam, such as business licenses, terminal registration, and route permits. The reason for the increasing number of passenger buses and trucks with Lao license plates in Dien Chau is that new vehicles are cheaper to buy than domestically because import taxes in Laos are lower. For example, a sleeper bus that costs 1.8 billion VND in Vietnam would cost around 1.2 billion VND in Laos, not including other fees at border crossings, which are also cheaper than in Vietnam.

Mr. Tran Trong Thang, Chief Inspector of the Department of Transport, stated: "According to the convention, we do not have the authority to inspect Lao vehicles' documents, but are only permitted to regulate traffic when safety issues arise." Mr. Thang explained: "If we encounter such situations, we will handle them, but with only 25 officers and limited resources to cover the entire province, it is very difficult."

That is why vehicles with Lao license plates continue to travel back and forth through traffic checkpoints and control stations in the province and districts every day without being penalized.

Van Truong