The provinces of Nghe An in Vietnam and Xieng Khouang in Laos recently met to discuss and agree on a solution to the problem of vehicle congestion at the Nam Can international border gate.

Colonel Chu-xong Chu-xay, Deputy Director of Xieng Khouang Provincial Police, led the multidisciplinary working group of the province of Xieng Khouang (Lao People's Democratic Republic) on October 10 at the Nam Can international border gate. The bilateral conference to discuss and decide on resolving issues was chaired by the delegation and the inter-sectoral working group of Nghe An province (Vietnam), which was led by Colonel Nguyen Cong Luc, Commander of the Border Guard of Nghe An province. The problem at hand was the congestion of export and import vehicles through Nam Can International Border Gate.

Transport trucks carrying barite ore from Vientiane province and iron ore from Xieng Khouang province are the source of the traffic jam at Nam Can International Border Gate in Ky Son district (Nghe An) as they pass through Vietnam on their way to the port. Cua Lo surged sharply.

An average of 250–300 vehicles enter and exit the border gate each day, according to statistics provided by the border gate authorities. In addition, the roads and infrastructure on both sides of the Nam Can international border gate are outdated and narrow. In order to accommodate cars and goods gathering while awaiting immigration and import-export procedures, infrastructure and yards have not been invested in.

On the Vietnamese side of the Border Gate, barrier No. 1 and barrier No. 2 are close together. There are only 12–15 cars that enter Barie at a time to wait for procedures. The machinery and equipment at the border gate used for control and inspection are outdated and in poor condition.

The operational forces at both sides' border gates have proactively coordinated with transportation companies to find solutions to the traffic jam, including declaring customs in advance, extending working hours, and proactively arranging labor and resources. Arrange and communicate details regarding the weighing of tons...

The two sides agreed and proposed to the competent authorities of each side to promptly implement Deploy surveys and supplement new planning for the border gate area in the direction of maximum expansion of the border gate area, expanding the border market area without affecting the boundary markers. This was done in order to resolve the vehicle congestion situation through the actual inspection and opinions expressed at the Conference. Invest in the construction of infrastructure to guarantee that vehicles and goods are gathered in anticipation of each side's import-export and immigration procedures.

In addition, the report asks the relevant authorities to permit moving barrier No. 2 closer to the Border Gate Area sign in order to increase the separation between barriers No. 1 and No. 2. In order to guarantee that cars stop and wait to enter the check-in area and that other vehicles can move freely, it is recommended that the responsible authority invest in and upgrade Highway 7 at both ends of the border gate.