Remove '4 no's' after Bu Liu slope

A difficult time

We have been to Binh Chuan, a remote commune of Con Cuong district many times. Binh Chuan is located in a precarious corner, bordering Tuong Duong, Quy Hop and Quy Chau districts. Surrounded by overlapping mountain ranges and winding slopes, including Bu Liu slope bordering Don Phuc commune (Con Cuong) and Pu Huot slope bordering Xieng My commune (Tuong Duong).

Every time these two slopes are mentioned, we are mentioning the challenges and hardships of the people of Binh Chuan commune when leaving.villageand also a challenge for people from other places who want to set foot in Binh Chuan commune.

The beauty of Na Co field, Binh Chuan commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Dinh Tuyen

We first came to Binh Chuan commune about 15 years ago, when this land was still wild, life was very busy and difficult. The distance from Con Cuong town to Binh Chuan commune is about 30 km, but the Min-khơ motorbike ran from early morning until past noon to get there. The owner of the Min-khơ is a motorbike taxi driver on this route, knowing the characteristics of each road section, stream, and steep pass.

At that time, there was no need to mention the hardships and difficulties on that “road of suffering”. Especially when going up Bu Liu slope connecting Hong Dien village (Don Phuc commune) with Que village (Binh Chuan commune), the road was slippery as grease, and chains had to be put on the tires to prevent slipping. The car revved up the engine, the sound echoed throughout the mountain, black smoke filled the area, the wheels moved little by little. That trip cost 300,000 VND, not a small amount of money at that time.

When arriving at Binh Chuan commune, we were greeted by small, muddy roads, mini-turbine wires strung across streams, fences, and paths. Stilt houses stood quietly on the mountainside, the scenery was deserted and desolate. At that time, Mr. Luong Van La, a resident of Tong village, said: “Binh Chuan is a commune with “4 no’s”, which means no market, no electricity grid, no phone signal, and no roads.”

Waterwheel system – potential for ecotourism development in Binh Chuan commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Indeed, with those “4 no’s” has trapped Binh Chuan commune in poverty, backwardness and deprivation. After that trip, we had a report “Binh Chuan is not yet… standard”, talking about the difficult situation of this land.

After that, we returned to Binh Chuan commune many times, each time we witnessed a few small changes, but in general it was still a scene of deprivation, chaos and poverty.

Then, like many other rural areas, Binh Chuan commune received attention for investment in infrastructure construction, electricity grid to every house, although late, the Con Cuong - Binh Chuan road was also upgraded, paved, convenient for travel. With electricity, roads, the material and spiritual life of the Thai ethnic people here gradually changed,flourish.

Support Binh Chuan to be truly... standard!

This time, we followed the eco-tourism survey team of the Department of Tourism to Binh Chuan commune to learn, build tourism products and expand connection points. The 16-seat car climbed Bu Liu slope smoothly and gently, without the roaring engine and the wheels struggling with the road surface like before.

Arriving at the Tong village intersection, entering National Highway 48C, the scene was really crowded and bustling, the shops were quite crowded. Meeting Mr. Luong Van La who was herding cows to the field, after a firm handshake, he said: "Binh Chuan is quite... perfect today, guys!".

Discover the beauty of Tham Tong cave, Binh Chuan commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Receiving us, Mr. Pham Xuan Manh - Chairman of Binh Chuan Commune People's Committee "boasted" that: "No need to say too far, just compared to 5 years ago, Binh Chuan Commune has had many innovations. Now, electricity, roads, schools, and stations are complete, people only need to take care of business and production, social welfare works have been completed.Stateinterest in investment and construction".

Binh Chuan commune now has 7 villages, with nearly 1,030 households (more than 4,450 people), most of whom are Thai ethnic people, their main source of income is based on agricultural production, the poverty rate is nearly 30%. Most of the rice fields in Binh Chuan commune have enough irrigation water, with 5 large dams, of which the largest is Na Co dam, ensuring a bumper crop every season.

People in 7/7 villages of the commune have been using the national grid with 8 transformer stations, ensuring the intensity and safety for users. National Highway 48C passes through Binh Chuan commune with a length of nearly 20 km; the Con Cuong town - Binh Chuan route, the "horror" of the past, has now been upgraded to Provincial Road 541, making travel and trade really easy and convenient.

Many internal village roads have been concreted, village life is becoming more and more civilized, 3 villages have achieved the title of Cultural Village, 2 villages have met new rural standards, and the average income per capita in 2022 has reached over 15 million VND.

Not having the conditions to build a commercial market, in recent years, Binh Chuan commune has had the initiative to organize a monthly market for people to exchange and trade local products. Each market attracts thousands of people to buy, sell, and exchange, and people from neighboring communes and districts also come to exchange.

Binh Chuan market. Photo: CSCC

Thus, the "4 no's" of 15 years ago have been eliminated, Binh Chuan commune has truly risen up thanks to the "support" of the Party and State.

At the end of the survey, the members of the delegation highly appreciated some points in Binh Chuan commune such as Na Co dam, the system of more than 30 water wheels, Tham Tong cave. These points combined with the ancient stilt houses in Dinh village, Xieng village and Binh Chuan market will attract tourists from all over to experience.tourismEcology and community tourism in this "magical" place.