Creating new momentum, building a prosperous and civilized young city of Thai Hoa.

(Baonghean) - 2015 marks the 16th year that the Lang Vac Festival has been held solemnly and respectfully. The rapid growth in scale and strong spread of the Festival demonstrates the enduring vitality of ancient civilization in the minds of today's generations, becoming an important driving force for the Party Committee and people of Thai Hoa Town to continue to unite and resolutely build a successful, prosperous, and civilized young city along the Hieu River...

The procession of the cauldron to the temple. Photo: Sy Minh

Rapid and sustainable socio-economic growth

At the end of 2014, despite some difficulties and challenges due to the impact of the general economic situation, thanks to the guidance and attention from higher levels, especially the efforts of the Party committee, government, business community, and people, Thai Hoa Town basically completed the set goals and plans. The new rural development program and the construction of a civilized urban area were comprehensively implemented and achieved excellent results. Significant efforts were made in planning management, land management, mineral resource management, and land clearance. Social security was ensured, and the lives of the people improved.

Economic growth reached a high rate of 15.1%; budget revenue reached 91.4 billion VND, nearly 110% of the plan. The credit and banking sector expanded in scale with the presence and operation of 11 credit and banking institutions, with total mobilized capital reaching 2,900 billion VND, an increase of 15%; total outstanding loans reached 3,100 billion VND, an increase of 13.8% compared to the beginning of the year; total investment capital for development in the area reached 1,250.2 billion VND, an increase of 18% compared to 2013 and exceeding the 2014 plan by 3.8%. The targeted program for building new rural areas was decisively directed and achieved outstanding results: two communes, Nghia My and Nghia Thuan, completed all 19 criteria and were recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as "Communes meeting the standards of new rural areas" in 2014. The average number of new rural development criteria achieved is 16.3 criteria/commune, creating a solid foundation for striving to have 3 communes achieve new rural development standards in 2015, and for the entire town to have 5 out of 6 communes achieving new rural development standards.

Cultural performance during the Lang Vac Festival in 2014. Photo: Sy Minh

The cultural and social sectors have been strengthened and cared for, resulting in positive outcomes. Education and training have seen significant improvements, ranking 4th in the province in overall educational quality and among the top in specialized education quality. 24 out of 32 schools meet national standards, achieving 75% (the provincial average is 55.3%). Healthcare has received comprehensive and coordinated attention and implementation, preventing outbreaks of disease. 10 out of 10 communes and wards have achieved national standards in phase 1, with 6 communes and wards achieving phase 2. The poverty rate has decreased to 3.52% (compared to 4.73% at the beginning of the year). Local defense and military tasks have been consistently prioritized, maintained, and effectively promoted; political security and social order have been maintained; and no hotspots or unexpected situations have occurred.

The work of receiving citizens, resolving complaints and denunciations, preventing corruption, practicing thrift, and combating waste was actively directed and implemented; the leaders of the Party Committee and the town government directly received citizens and held dialogues in all 10/10 communes and wards, grasping the situation and directing the resolution of people's opinions and suggestions and issues of public concern. The management and operation of the government continued to be promoted, closely adhering to the grassroots, and becoming more effective and efficient in all aspects of work compared to previous years. The Fatherland Front and mass organizations effectively fulfilled their roles and responsibilities. Major movements and campaigns were implemented effectively: such as the movement to jointly build new rural areas; the movement to build a cultural life in residential areas; the movement for all people to protect national security; and the movement to eradicate hunger and reduce poverty, etc.

Urban areas are being renovated, rural areas are being modernized.

One of the highlights, not only in 2014 but also throughout that term, was the effective implementation of urban beautification and expansion. The new rural development program made a clear mark with two communes being recognized as meeting the standards, while the remaining communes rapidly increased the number of criteria met, all striving to achieve their goals in 2015.

A corner of Thai Hoa town. Photo: Sy Minh

This achievement is the result of the decisive leadership of the Town Party Committee's Standing Committee, the efforts of the Town People's Committee and the communes and wards in the area. The Town Party Committee's Standing Committee held a specialized meeting and issued a directive to accelerate the progress of key projects. Accordingly, obstacles were removed from all 7 key projects, and implementation was accelerated. These include several projects related to urban beautification and expansion, such as the N6 crossroad project, the N2 road... and the Bau Sen forest park area. In particular, the N6 road connecting and expanding the urban space to the East has been basically completed, fundamentally resolving traffic congestion, localized flooding during the rainy season in the central five-way intersection of the town, creating a more open and beautiful urban space in the central area.

The Bau Sen Forest Park – the green lung of the town – has also been completed and put into use, attracting investment in lakeside recreational services, creating a cultural and spiritual hub for the people. In addition, Thai Hoa actively directs the review of urban planning to promptly renovate and plan the construction of public welfare facilities, and accelerates the construction of parking lots in Dong Tam 1 block (Hoa Hieu ward) and Tay Ho 1 block (Quang Tien ward)...

A new investment and development direction has opened up for Thai Hoa Town, following the Provincial People's Committee's approval of the detailed plan for the construction of the Archaeological Site Conservation Area linked with ecotourism to build Lang Vac Village and the detailed plan for the construction of the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Area commemorating President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Dong Hieu. The Provincial People's Committee then issued a decision approving the investment policy for the construction of conservation works for these two historical sites. This serves as a premise, opportunity, and foundation for Thai Hoa to expand its urban space along a development triangle. In this triangle, Hoa Hieu and Long Son wards will focus on developing commerce and services, connecting and exploiting the tourism potential at the Lang Vac Archaeological Site in Nghia Hoa commune and the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Area commemorating President Ho Chi Minh's visit to Dong Hieu. Simultaneously, a center for medical examination, treatment, and human resource training will be developed in the western part of the town, encompassing Quang Tien ward and Tay Hieu commune. All of this will create a new image, befitting its position as the central urban area of ​​Phu Quy region, strongly developing the fields of commerce, services, and tourism.

Regarding the implementation of the National Target Program for New Rural Development, 2014 was considered the most successful year, with two communes, Nghia My and Nghia Thuan, being recognized as meeting the standards by the Provincial People's Committee, achieving 200% of the plan. The average level of implementation of new rural development criteria in the town reached 16.33 criteria per commune. The movement to build new rural areas continued to create a widespread impact and build trust among the people, thus mobilizing investment resources. During the year, out of over 40 billion VND mobilized for investment, more than 23.5 billion VND came from people's contributions, reaching 63%. With cement support from the province, the town completed 17 km of rural roads and built and upgraded 17 village cultural houses. The achievements in building new rural areas have further strengthened confidence in mobilizing the political system to actively participate, with three communes achieving the goals in 2015 and the program being completed throughout the town in 2016, creating a seamless connection between rural and urban areas and accelerating the urbanization process.

Bau Sen Forest Park has been put into use. Photo: Sy Minh

Determined to complete the tasks in 2015

In 2015, Thai Hoa Town was again identified by the province as one of the growth poles and one of the key economic zones of the province. Therefore, Thai Hoa is determined to strive to achieve the highest possible level of the goals set by the 1st Town Party Congress, directing the grassroots Party congresses, leading up to the 2nd Thai Hoa Town Party Congress. Sustainable development and reasonable growth, improving the investment environment, mobilizing and effectively utilizing resources, gradually completing socio-economic infrastructure, promoting production development, ensuring social welfare goals, and improving the lives of the people.

Thai Hoa strives for an economic growth rate of 14.8%; total production value (at current prices) of 4,917,625 million VND; average per capita income of 27.6 million VND; economic structure with the proportion of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries decreasing to only 10.26%, industry and construction to 38.89%, and services to 50.85%; budget revenue of 81,650 million VND; total investment capital for development in the area of ​​1,325,000 million VND; and 3 communes achieving the New Rural Area standard... To achieve these basic targets, the most important solution is to improve the investment environment, boost production and business, with the core being to enhance the effectiveness of investment promotion, creating a favorable environment to attract capital from within and outside the town for development investment.

The drainage system is being completed. Photo: Sy Minh

Continue implementing the new rural development program in conjunction with building civilized urban areas; develop agricultural production towards a sustainable, commodity-oriented approach, applying science and technology to increase value per unit area. Ensure good social security, focusing on developing cultural and social fields, and addressing pressing social issues such as: effectively implementing policies for families and those who have contributed to the revolution, creating jobs, especially supporting production development, education, healthcare, stabilizing people's lives, and effectively implementing social security credit programs. Continue to promote administrative reform, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the state apparatus from the town level to the wards and communes, and ensure national defense and security, social order and safety.

It can be said that, stemming from the deep-rooted traditions of this land rich in sediment, especially the value and significance of the Lang Vac Archaeological Site and the development and spread of the Lang Vac Festival, these factors are truly creating spiritual foundations and solid confidence for the Party Committee and people of Thai Hoa Town to strive to successfully implement the socio-economic development plan for 2015, laying the groundwork for the implementation of the development orientation for the 2015-2020 period, aiming to build a prosperous and civilized town, worthy of being a gateway city to the Northwest!

Le Phuc An

Chairman of the People's Committee of Thai Hoa Town