Why are goods and vehicles still unable to clear customs at the Thong Thu border gate?
Although the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision announcing the list of Thong Thu border gates permitted for cross-border trade activities in the province from the end of 2024, goods and vehicles have not yet been able to clear customs through this border gate.
A trip to Thong Thu Border Gate (Que Phong) in early March 2025 showed that the main road connecting from National Highway 1A to the border gate was quite convenient for vehicles. However, there were no vehicles or goods crossing the Thong Thu Border Gate; perhaps only local people were crossing into Laos to visit relatives.
It has been observed that our side has a functioning Border Control Station. People crossing the border to visit relatives are checked and processed by border guards. It is also known that our side has assigned customs officers, but due to the lack of official housing, they rent houses from local residents near the border crossing area to live and work.
According to the Thong Thu Border Guard Station, the reason why goods and vehicles have not been cleared through the Thong Thu border gate is that although Vietnam has deployed a Border Control Station and customs officers at the border gate, Laos has not yet deployed relevant agencies to work there, thus preventing goods and vehicles from being cleared between the two countries.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Hai, Commander of Thong Thu Border Guard Station, stated: "The biggest difficulty currently is that the border gate area lacks electricity, Wi-Fi, and has very weak and intermittent phone signals. Therefore, to facilitate immigration procedures after goods and vehicles are cleared, a stable electricity grid, Wi-Fi, and phone signal are necessary. For a long time, the Border Control Station at the border gate has been using Wi-Fi and electricity supplied from Laos."
Thong Thu is a mountainous border commune in Que Phong district, Nghe An province, with over 33.7 km of border shared with Laos. The commune comprises 8 villages with 1,158 households and 5,123 inhabitants, mostly ethnic minorities. To the west, it borders the Vieng Phan cluster of villages in Xam Tay district, Hua Phan province (Laos). People from both districts frequently cross the border to visit relatives, exchange information, and conduct business. Mr. Luong Van Huan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thong Thu commune, believes that many residents in the commune are engaged in the business of selling groceries and agricultural products. If goods and vehicles are allowed to pass through the Thong Thu border gate, it will create favorable conditions for the local socio-economic development.
Previously, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Official Letter No. 1086/UBND-KT dated February 18, 2025, regarding the implementation of activities for people, vehicles, and goods crossing the Thong Thu - Nam Tay and Thanh Thuy - Nam Om sub-border gates. On February 20, 2025, the People's Committee of Que Phong district issued Official Letter No. 299/UBND-KTHT detailing this task. Accordingly, from February 20, 2025, people, motorized road vehicles, and goods are allowed to cross the Thong Thu - Nam Tay border gate.
The Thong Thu border gate is located in Thong Thu commune, Que Phong district (Nghe An province), opposite the Nam Tay border gate in Sam Tay district, Hua Phan province (Laos). Nghe An and Hua Phan provinces have established a long-standing cooperative relationship. Over the years, the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two provinces have been increasingly strengthened, promoted, and developed steadily.