Introduction

 

​Long An province is located at the quite special geographical location because although the province is located in the Mekong River Delta Region, the province belongs to Key Economic Development Zone in the South which is defined as the key economic area with specially important role in the economic development strategy of Vietnam. Long An ratios the borders with the Kingdom of Cambodia with the length of 132.977 km and two border gates of Binh Hiep (Moc Hoa) and Tho Mo (Duc Hue). Long An is the gateway connecting the Southeast Region with Mekong River Delta Region, specially the province ratios the borders with Ho Chi Minh city by the road system such as National Highway No. 1A, National Highway No. 50 etc. and provincial roads of DT.823, DT.824, DT.825 etc. The interregional and national waterway has been upgraded, expanded, newly constructed to create the driving force and new opportunities for the development. In addition, Long An province is also provided with the water source from two river systems of Me Kong and Dong Nai. ​Being a province located next to Ho Chi Minh City with the closer and closer economic relation with the South Key Economic Development Zone, especially Ho Chi Minh city which is an important province in the South which accounts for 50% of the industrial output of the whole country and the biggest investment, technology transfer partner and biggest agricultural product consumption market of Mekong River Delta Region.

The natural area of the entire province is 449,194.49 ha, the population is 1,542,606 (according to the population statistics up to May 2013). The geographical coordinates are: 105⁰30' 30'' to 106⁰47' 02'' East Longitude and 10⁰23' 40'' to 11⁰02' 00'' Northern Latitude.

Long An Province has 15 administrative units including districts of Duc Hue, Duc Hoa, Ben Luc, Can Duoc, Can Giuoc, Thu Thua, Tan Tru, Chau Thanh, Thanh Hoa, Tan Thanh, Moc Hoa, Vinh Hung, Tan Hung, Kien Tuong Town and Tan An City; and 192 administrative units of commune level including 166 communes, 12 wards and 14 towns.​

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Next to Ho Chi Minh city on road 10, distances from:

Ho Chi Minh city center : 35 km

An Sương Station : 26 km

Tan Son Nhat airport : 32 km

Sai Gon Port : 45 km

Source: Long An Economic Zone Authority (LEAZA)​

1. Road traffic system

Ho Chi Minh - Trung Luong freeway

Highways like Highway 1A with 30km length, Highway 62, Highway 50, the N2, Provincial Route 10, and Freeway Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong.

Connected roads of the Long An Industrial Park area to Ho Chi Minh City are regular maintenance, upgrade capability by the Government; so they ensure freight container with large loads can be transport.

2. River traffic system

Apart from road traffic system, Long An province is also has strength of water transportation; with transport way as the Vam Co Dong, Vam Co Tay river, Rach Cat river (Can Giuoc river). All important waterways such as: Ho Chi Minh City - Kien Luong, Ho Chi Minh City - Ca Mau, Ho Chi Minh City - Tay Ninh gothrough Long An Nuoc Nam canal, river Rach Cat, Vam Co Dong River. The water transport vehicles more than 100 tonnes may follow the canal as Phuoc Xuyen, Duong Van Duong, Tra Cu, Kinh Xang, Ben Luc river, Rach Cat river, Thu Thua canal ... go from the West area to Ho Chi Minh City.

Long An International Sea Port (is building now)

3. Ports

a. Bourbon and Hoang Tuan ports: vessel of 5,000 DWT, capacity of 550,000 ton/year. Check location

b. Long An international seaport: capacity in 2020: 15 million ton/year. Check location

Connect to nearby port

- Hiep Phưoc seaport - Tp. HCM: vessel of 50,000 – 70,000 DWT, capacity of 200 million ton/year location - Next to Long Hau industrial park

- Cat Lai port – Tp. HCM: capacity of 70 million ton/year Location

4. Airway

- Tan Son Nhat Airport – Tp HCM: capacity 23 million passengers/year and 600,000 ton of commodities/year location

- Long Thanh International Ariport – Dong Nai: capacity of 100 million passengers/year and 5 million ton of commodities/year

Source: Long An Economic Zone Authority (LAEZA)​

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Party Chief Pham Van Ranh required functional agencies and localities to coordinate with local enterprises and scientists to help farmers, cooperative groups and cooperatives in applying hi-tech agriculture program

Local authorities said, the program under Resolution No08 had initially acquired some achievements although it had been slower than the set target.

Accordingly, the province needs to focusing on the investment, intensifying the popularization propaganda to create positive changes in the political system and the residents' awareness of applying hi-tech  agriculture program; strengthening the investment and trade promotion to supply clean products to distributors in and outside the province.

Many delegates said that some pilot models have still been facing difficulties in supplying and consuming products, especially in rice production. The coordination between departments and sectors in training human resource to support cooperatives and cooperative groups has not achieved high efficiency.

Long An strives to reach 7,500 hectares of high-tech rice production by year end

By the end of 2018, the province will strive to have 7,500 hectares of high-tech rice production, 1,000 hectares of vegetables, 1,200 hectares of dragon fruit and 6 models for breeding beeves; focusing on establishing 13 pilot high-tech cooperatives and a 4.0 technology model in vegetable farming.

Party Chief Pham Van Ranh required functional agencies and localities to coordinate with local enterprises and scientists to help farmers, cooperative groups and cooperatives in applying hi-tech agriculture program; to support local enterprises to consume products, to improve cooperatives' activities.  Besides, the State Bank should call for commercial banks to connect local enterprises, cooperatives to support capital, meeting with production demand./.

Source: http://news.baolongan.vn/​

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- In 2015: It is estimated that the maximum capacity is Pmax= 772,3MW, the commercial power capacity is 4507.9 million kWh. The average growth rate of the commercial power in phase 2011-2015 is 20.2%/year.

- In 2020: It is estimated that the maximum power is Pmax=1528.0MW; the commercial power is 9,428.8 million kWh. The average growth rate of the commercial power in phase 2016 - 2020 is 15.9%/year.

II. Construction quantity

The estimated construction quantity in the project only consists of construction of the power network in the districts, city of Long An Province

1. 220, 110kV grids:

a- Phase 2011 - 2015:

- 220kV power line:

+ Newly constructing 70.7 km of power line

+ Improving 144.0 km of the power line

- 220kV Substation:

+ Increasing the capacity of the 220kV Long An 2 substation, (2x250)MVA

+ Newly constructing Duc Hoa 2 Sub-station 2 - (2x250)MVA

+  Newly constructing Ben Luc 2 Sub-station 2 - (1x250)MVA.

+ Newly constructing Can Duoc Sub-station - (1x250)MVA.

- 110kV grid:

+ Newly constructing 15 lines with the total length of 82.5km.

- 110kV Substation:

+ Newly constructing 15 transformers with the total capacity of 923MVA (in which there are 5 client substations with the total capacity of 305MVA including: Le Long substation: 40MVA, Xuyen A Industrial Park substation: 2x40 MVA, Vinh Loc 2 Substation: 40 MVA, Thuan Dao Industrial Park Substation 40+25MVA and Phu An Thanh Industrial Park Substation: 2x40MVA).

+ Improving and installing machines for 2 transformers, increasing the capacity for 5 transformers with the total capacity of 145MVA.

b- Phase 2016 - 2020:

- 220kV grid:

+ Newly constructing 2 lines with the total length of 32km.

- 220kV Substation:

+ Newly constructing 220kV Ben Luc 3 Substation - (2x250)MVA.

- 110kV grid:

+ Newly constructing 11 lines with the total length of 167.5km.

- 110kV Substation:

+ Newly constructing 8 transformers with the total capacity of 664MVA

+ Improving and installing machines for 2, increasing the capacity for 10 transformers with the total capacity of 710MVA

2. Distribution network:

a- Phase 2011 -- 2015:

- 22kV grid:

+ Newly constructed: 779.4 km

+ Improved: 505,5 km

- 22/0,4kV Transformer:

+ Newly constructing: the transformers with the total capacity of 588,572.5kVA

- Low voltage:

+ Newly constructing 1,260 km; installing 89,386 power meters

b- Phase 2016 - 2020:

- 22kV grid:

+ Newly constructed: 541.3 km

+ Improved: 252.7 km

- 22/0.4kV transformers:

+ Newly constructing the transformers with the total capacity of 353,143.5kVA

- Low voltage:

+ Newly constructing 756 km; installing 28,931 power meters

III. Investment capital

In phase 2011 – 2015, the total investment capital to be mobilized is VND 6,847,737 million

In which:

220kV grids:  VND3,809,470 million

110kV grids: VND1,851,100470 million

22kV grids: VND938,322 million

Low voltage grid: VND248,845 million

Total: VND6,847,737 million.​

​​In addition, there is 01 Continuing Education Center at provincial level, 01 Provincial General Technical and Vocational Center, 15 District and City Distance Learning Centers, 05 Foreign Language-Informatics Center. 100% of communes and towns have the Culture-Sports-Education centers for the community.

The province has 01 school for disabled children, 03 professional intermediary schools (Long An Economic-Technical Intermediate School, Health Intermediate School, Vietnam-Japan Intermediate School), 01 professional college (Long An Teacher Training College), 02 private universities (Long AN Industrial Economic University, Tan Tao University), 30 vocational training centers.

There are 80 communes, towns, wards strictly conforming to the compulsory pre-school education for children of 5 years old (reaching 41.6%) and 1 district.

The total personnel of the education sector is 20,221 persons, the high school and secondary school teachers are basically qualified for the teaching job, however, there is still the shortage of primary and kindergarten teachers due to the demand of full-day education.

The personnel and teachers have been standardized and up to now, the ratio of the teachers meeting standards or meeting higher the standard is high: kindergartens: 99.4%; Primary schools: 99.5%; Secondary schools: 99.7%; high schools: 98.8%. The entire education sector has 52 teachers holding master degree, 03 teachers holding doctor degree. ​

​/. Road traffic :

Until the end of 2004, roadways in province was 1.698km, in which asphalt roads were 474km, accounting for 27,9%, gravel roads were 1053km (62%), other kinds of roads were 171km (10,1%) (excluding rural roads). Total length of bridge was 15.799 m long/346 bridges, in which concrete bridges were 7.099 md/123 bridges, girder bridges were 6812 md/194 bridges, others were 1889 md/29 bridges. Density of road by area increased from 0,198 Km/Km² in 1991 to 0,285 Km/Km² in 2000 and 0,359 km/Km² in 2004.

Density of road by population increased from 0,667 Km/1.000 persons in 1991 to 0,957 Km/1000 person in 2000 and 1,130 km/1000 person in 2004.

In general, roadways system is prioritized to invest, helping actively to develop production and improve living standard of population. However, there also remain some roads not satisfying the demand of transportation, lacking of synchronism between roads and bridges, not forming uninterrupted branches of roads.

Most of the Southern communications network has not been increased, mainly improved, upgraded and expanded, except some rural roads. In Nothern region, the communications network has developed rapidly, contributing to reclaimation, reallocation of population. To date, traffic roads are, however, quite scattered in this region, province road only has some roads just for cars, branches of roads accessible to residential clusters have not been built yet. Therefore this has influenced to travel and organization of life of rural people.

At present, the system of bridges and roads have been built synchronously in term of capacity in most of main roads from province to district and roads to industrial zones. However, there still remain some roads with low-capacity bridges, constraining the development of cargo transportation.

In recent years, although border belt ways have been invested, they are mainly small-scale rural roads, asynchronous bridge roads, inluencing to the national defense and smuggling fighting.

In recent years, the construction of rural transportation has become a big movement, combining from the budget and contribution of population. At present, 156 over 188 communes have car roads to the center (accounting for 83%), 32 communes under 7 districts do not have car roads to center, including 18 roads with total length of 126 km and 140 bridges/6637m long.

In recent years, the investment in traffic industry has been constantly increased. However, the annual budget for maintenance is low. Therefore the roads are degrading quickly. According to economists, it is necessary for capital given priority to maintain other than to invest in building. It will bring socio-economic efficiency.

In recent years, the roadways system has been considered and invested by the province, but in general it is not extensive and synchronous, influencing to the investment attraction and socio-economic development of province.

2/.Waterway traffic:

Since 1995, the waterways network has not increased, with scale of 2.559 km. Density of waterways by area was 0,59 Km/Km² and by population was 1,8 Km/ten thousand of people with main waterways of Vam Co river, Vam Co Dong, Vam Co Tay, Rach Cat river . . .

Besides, on rural waterways, especially districts in Dong Thap Muoi, people can travel by boats from house to house, from region to region and boats are the main means of transport, means of living of many families in Dong Thap Muoi. Communes where do not have car roads to center will travel by waterways.

However, the waterways network, at present, still depends mainly on natural advantage, not developing the existing potentials, lacking in support system such as marking buoy, local waterways signal. The phenomena of appropriation of flow and way of boats, breach of protective corridors of local waterways such as construction of house and building materials yard, holding a market, etc. have not controlled properly. Many waterways have had great siltation through development in many years but they have not dredged and influenced to travel capacity of means.

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Distance to traffic hubs

12 km from Phu My Hung residential area.

19 km from Ben Thanh market, the central of Ho Chi Minh city.

25 km from Tan Son Nhat international airport.

35 km from Long Thanh international airport (2015).

Source: Long An Economic Zone Authority (LEAZA)

​1. With the advantages of routes crossing over the province, namely the National Highway (NH) 1, NH N2, NH 50, and Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway, getting to Long An by land transport becomes quite convenient. Nguyen Thi Thuy, Deputy Director of Long An Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism, provides: ''Presently, the provincial sector of Culture - Sports and Tourism encourages and raises socialization to invest in historical relics, tourist areas to attract visitors, especially on Tet and special occasions".

Khang Thong Recreational Complex (Happyland)

Along the NH 1 on the path from Ho Chi Minh City to provinces, cities of the western region, just as passing over Ben Luc bridge, enter Nhut Chanh four-way intersection, then turn right onto Provincial Road (PR) 816, it is Khang Thong Recreational Complex in Thanh Duc Commune, Ben Luc District right where you reach. On New Year and special occasions, plenty of bustling and enjoyable activities are organized, attracting a lot of tourists to come and join, such as flower market, music gala, circus, folk games, cultural depictions of various regions, areas. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thai - Happyland's Manager, stated that in the Lunar New Year 2021, the spring flower festival to serve the visitors is even now the significant cultural feature of the three regions.

Coming here, tourists are offered chances to immerse in the regional culture-engraved music: Southern Music of Amateurs (Don ca tai tu Nam Bo), Hue Royal Refined Music (Nha nhac cung dinh Hue), and water puppetry. Additionally, there are typical markets of three regions, namely Ben Thanh market in the South, Dong Ba market in the central region, and Dong Xuan market in the North, etc. Besides, the tourist area erects a mini "East Sea" with two models of Paracel Islands (Hoang Sa) and Spratly Islands (Truong Sa) spreading the message of protection and preservation of national maritime sovereignty. Plus, the mini " Truong Son forest mountains" is also created to give a portrait of more than 50 ethnic groups' characteristics. Especially, Happyland is equipped with a food court that serves specialties of three regions. "In the coming future, Khang Thong company is going to provide visitors with a mini supermarket. Alongside the Vam Co Dong's riverbank, food stalls and riverside cafes are ready to offer services everyday" - Mr. Thai further stated.

Mr. Ho Huynh Anh Son, a Happyland's staff, informed: "The tourist area has been added several constructions that are simulators of Trang Tien Bridge (Thua Thien Hue), Western flower field, recaptured brickyard of ancient times, area for artificial rain showers, "Nang Thom" paddy field, Hai Tuong Aquarium, seaside aquariums,  and so on".

2. Ms. Nguyen Dang Thi Ngoc Han - sales staff of Ecological Tourist Area of Tan Lap floating village (Tan Lap Commune, Moc Hoa district), expressed: "The tourist site's area is over 130 hectares with surrounding year-round subsurface dykes which means visitors can come to admire particularly picturesque sceneries of the flood season in the Plain of Reeds with natural creatures such as lotus, water lily, birds, storks, etc. Recently, an eight-story floating hotel has been added for renovation. Tourists staying overnight at the cajeput forest are going to enjoy a fascinating time here".

The Ecological Tourist Site of Tan Lap Floating Village

Based on Thap Muoi Tourism Co., Ltd's information - investor of Tan Lap Floating Village, the company are going to build more amusement areas soon, chiefly for the refurbished domestication area of birds with an area of over 10 hectares, the folk games area are having more interesting games, night cinemas are also being supplied to serve visitors. Presently, underground tow-cable systems were equipped to move passenger trains with a speed of 3 kilometers every 50 minutes. Visitors can feel free to go sightseeing, take photos as their keepsakes, feast their eyes on the beauty of the lotus, water lily, and cajeput forest. To ones who are keen explorers, going hiking on a 5-kilometer-long trail through the forest or climbing up to an 18-meter-high tower to overlook the forest. The ecological tourist site currently brings electric shuttle-cars into use to drop visitors off at the tourist spots.

Ms. Ngoc Han also provided that the food area is presently able to serve tourists the dishes of three regions, mainly rural dishes of the Plain of Reeds. Large quantities of visitors left positive feedbacks and praised for tasty dishes, a rather good service attitude and infrastructure.

Mr. Le Van Hue, a local citizen, who is currently an electric car driver of the company, shared: "Since Thap Muoi Co., Ltd's investment in the ecological tourist site, the area has drawn a huge number of tourists, mostly the youths from Ho Chi Minh City, thus it facilitates the jobs for local people".

3. Being notable for leisure travel form of travel which attracts numerous visitors within and outside Long An, the Reserve owned by Dong Thap Muoi Reserve Study and Drug Development Joint Stock Company (JSC) (located in Binh Phong Thanh town, Moc Hoa district) has an area of up to 1.000 hectares. It also takes care of few hundreds of hectares of pristine cajeput forest, which brings abundant sources of drugs. Pharmacist Bui Dac Thang – the chairman of the board, General Director of Dong Thap Muoi Reserve Study and Drug Development JSC, expresses: "To ensure the customer retention, especially customers who appreciate health and relaxation, we fund different categories: running track, forest cycling, natural pools, fishing area, sauna, massage, etc. Furthermore, coming here, visitors can relax and get therapy with a variety of home remedies.

The Reserve belonging to Dong Thap Muoi Reserve Study and Drug Development JSC

 This Reserve is also renowned for including the temple of Hai Thuong Lan Ong - Godfather of the Vietnamese Medicine; the central location in "The Endless Field" movie, etc. Hence, it is annually visited by corps of students coming to study and explore. 

Turning onto Long An, visitors will fully enjoy taking in the fresh and warm air of the rural Plain of the Reeds, gain deeper insight into heroic historical traditions of the courageous and imperishable lands in images of cultural and historical relics. All fatigue and hustling things in the relentless drive of everyday life could be blotted out for a pleasant retreat when the spring arrives on every single corner of life./.

Source: https://news.baolongan.vn/

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Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee - Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc informed the socio-economic development results in 2017 of the province

At the beginning of the dialogue, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee – Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc said that provincial leaders wished representatives of enterprises to share difficulties that they had been during investment, production and business process to strengthen the linkage between the investors and local government to open the opportunities for transparent, equal, effective and long-term cooperation.

Provincial leaders were dialoguing with the enterprises

At the dialogue, representatives of enterprises shared that the open policies, mechanisms for investment environment together with determination for administration reform from the provincial leaders recently had supported them much during their investment and business process.
At the end of the dialogue, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee – Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc promised to solve difficulties and obstacles that enterprises had reflected according to the authority of the provincial People's Committee and departments, sectors; particularly, for the matters beyond the jurisdiction of the Provincial People's Committee would report to central ministries, sectors for consideration and resolution.
"Long An always creates the most favorable conditions for investors operating in the province to ensure the highest efficiency" – Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee – Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc confirmed.

      Reported by Mai Huong  

 Translated by Lan Vy​

​Tan An City is located in the Southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, about 47 km away from HCMC and shares the borders with the following administrative units: the North adjoins to Thu Thua district; the East adjoins to Tan Tru District and Chau Thanh district; the West and Southwest adjoin to Tien Giang province. ​

Tan An City is the political, cultural, economic, science and technology center of Long An province. The city is located on the development axis of South Key Economic Zone as the economic gateway of Mekong River Delta Region provinces with the main waterway and road network running through the center of National Highway IA, National Highway No. 62 and Cam Co Tay River.

The above mentioned geographical location has given Tan An City the relative advantage in terms of economic and geographical to promote the socio-economic development of Long An Province in general and Tan An City in particular.

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​Electricity network :

The frequency of high flood tended to reduce from 1 time for 8 - 10 years in the past, to 1 time for 3 - 4 years (1961, 1966, 1978, 1984, 1991) and high flood had occured for 3 consecutive years (1994, 1995, 1996), especially, flood was very high in 2000.

- Flooding levels according to the natural area in 1996 were as follows:

+ Below 50 cm with flooded area of 50.294 ha, accounting for 13,2 % of the natural area.

+ From 50 - 100 cm with flooded area of 72.360 ha, accounting for 18,99% of the natural area.

+ From 100 -150 cm with flooded area of 63.830 ha, accounting for 16,75% of the natural area.

+ From 150 - 200 cm with flooded area of 94.840 ha, accounting for 24,88% of the natural area.

+ From 200 - 250 cm with flooded area of 66.720 ha, accounting for 17,50% of the natural area.

+ Over 250 cm with flooded area of 33.070 ha, accounting for 8,68% of the natural area.

- Flooding duration:

+ Less than 3 months with 305.757 ha, accounting for 69,91% of the natural area.

+ From 3 - 5 months with 64.724 ha, accounting for 30,09 % of the natural area.

Especially, flood of the year 2000 was the biggest in decades and the long flooding period caused great damages to production and life of people. The highest water level in Moc Hoa (Long An) was 3,27 meter, 41 cm higher than flood peak in 1978. Flood run strongly to the South, resonating with hurricane tide, causing deep and wide flooding in 300.000 ha of natural area, including 132/188 communes, equivalent to 12/14 districts of province. The average flood was from 1,5 - 2 meters, some regions had deep flood of over 3 meters. Total damages to property were about 650 billion dong.