Continue to reopen main and secondary border gates on the border with Laos

Nghe An has a border of more than 468 km, adjacent to the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Hua Phan and Bolikhamxay of Laos. On this border, in addition to the Nam Can International Border Gate (Ky Son), there is also Thanh Thuy Border Gate (Thanh Chuong), three secondary border gates at Cao Veu (Anh Son), Thong Thu (Que Phong), Tam Hop (Tuong Duong), and many other openings.

Thanh Thuy border gate will be reopened to serve entry and exit activities. Photo: Tien Dong

After a while, Nam Can International Border Gate was reopened.import-export and immigration activitiesThe border crossings of the two sides have been basically restored. However, because the main and secondary border gates have not been reopened, it has caused some difficulties for people when entering and exiting the country. Especially for people in Tuong Duong, Que Phong, Anh Son districts, who live near the secondary border gates, if they want to visit relatives in the villages near the border gates, they have to go to Nam Can International Border Gate to complete exit and entry procedures. This makes it more difficult for people to travel over longer distances and costs more money.

Nam On border gate on the Lao side, opposite Thanh Thuy border gate in Thanh Chuong. Photo: Tien Dong

In that situation, plus the Covid-19 epidemic being increasingly controlled, on August 31, 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic sent a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Vietnam in Vientiane to inform that the Lao Government agreed to allow the reopening of all main and secondary border gates nationwide to serve entry and exit.

On September 7, 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam issued Document No. 3775 notifying all provinces and centrally run cities about the above issue.

People complete immigration procedures at Nam Can International Border Gate. Photo: Thanh Cuong

To promptly inform the people, on September 19, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 7137, notifying the provincial departments, branches, sectors, unions and districts, cities and towns about the agreement of Laos to reopen main and secondary border gates to serve entry and exit activities.

In order to implement the Government's policy and the agreement between Nghe An province and Hua Phan and Bolikhamxay provinces on restoring the entry and exit policy in the new situation, thereby restoring Vietnam's entry and exit policy at the main border gates and sub-border gates in the area, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has requested provincial departments, branches, sectors, unions and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns, based on their assigned functions and tasks, to disseminate and notify relevant organizations and individuals, and at the same time coordinate with functional forces at the border gates to effectively implement the contents related to the Lao Government's reopening of entry and exit activities at the main border gates and sub-border gates.