PHAN THIET CITY

THE REARL OF BINH THUAN PROVINCE

A clod morning, from the Nguyen Tat Thanh avenue taking a look on the city center's direction, one has the impression that huge changes have taken in a short time. To the people who live every day with and for Phan Thiet it is a surprise. The changes of their beloved homeland, to me, a native coming from far it is much more. Chatting with me, most people confirmed that the city had made achievements that were expected to be done in 5, 10 or more years. I remember when the city decided to carry out the Phan Thiet socio-economic development plan for the 1996 - 2010 period, a lot of people were worried and doubtful. Now what seemingly impossible became possible just in the first 6 months of 2002: the liberation of land for the Phan Thiet industrial zone has been successfully done. It was just one among thousand jobs the city finished. It was a proof of the determination and unanimity of the leaders and people of Phan Thiet, more vivid than whatever figures and nice words.

The Phan Thiet industrial zone - an attractive replace to invest.

The industrial zone is next to the center of the Phan Thiet city, at the crossroad of national road N^o 1A (Hanoi - Minh City) and national road N^o 28 (Phan Thiết – Di Linh – Lam Dong), 200 km away from Ho Chi Minh city, 250 km from Nha Trang city, 150 km from Vung Tau and 165 km from Da Lat

On an area of 68 ha, the Phan Thiet Industrial Zone includes the following sections:

* The Industrial enterprise cluster.

* The warehouse cluster.

* The Central and Services section.

* The Greenery Section.

* The Air - conditioning lake.

Priority investment industrial in the industrial zone :

* Agriculture and Forestry products processing.

* Food, fruits and beverage processing.

* Consumers goods, garment, shoes, household utensil, electrical and metal manufacturing.

* Office stationary and children’s toys.

* Construction materials and interior decoration manufacturing.

* Engineering, electrical and electronic assembling and manufacturing.

* Industries for service and development of Industrial - agricultural and aquatic development.

* Business services industrial and manufacturing.

Types of enterprises:

* Medium and small

* Clean, non - polluting

The Advantages of the Phan Thiet industrial zone:

* At the center of areas with rich materials for developing agricultural, forestall, aquatic and mineral processing.

* Electricity, water and communication systems available to the fences of the zone, ready to extend lo enterprises' compounds and meet all enterprises' needs.

* Convenient transportation system, located next to along side of national road N^o 1A and national road N^o 28, trans Vietnam railway and the Phan Thiet seaport. 200 km away from Ho Chi Minh city and 250 km from Nha Trang city.

* Abundant local labor source; the majority is young educated and hardworking; with vocational training schools can satisfy labor needs.

* Diverse and attractive peripheral rest and recreation service system; a 9 ha residential and services zone has been built side by side along with the construction of the Industrial zone's technical infrastructure.

* Modern banking. insurance and communication systems with strong relations with national and international institutions.

* Low rate in land lease; simple, easy and quick investment registration; best tax treatment.

 Besides, the Binh Thuan province is always ready for help and make the most favorable conditions for domestic and foreign investors to establish business in his industrial zone.

Incentives programs to investment:

1. Land lease programs:

* Low rate, maximum property tax reduction. Land lease scheduled rate: 0.3-0.6 dollar/ m²/ year depending on a lump sun or annual payments.

* 100% exemption from land rent for the first 5 investors for the first 5 years in operation; 50% reduction in land rent and 100% exemption from infrastructure fee for the first 5 years in operation for projects invested in the Phan Thiet industrial zone from today to 2003.

* No cost in leasing land or land - use .fee exemption for the first 11 years for business who lease or receive transfer of land to build housing for the industrial zone's workers. Land lease free or property tax free through out the life of the operation for lands used to build public institutions such as kindergartens, nurseries, schools, medical clinics and recreational facility areas (if there is any).

2. Tax incentives program:

To encourage more investments to be invested in the Phan Thiet industries, the Binh Thuan province will assure investors that they can enjoy many favorable taxes treatment, such as the one on projects in investment encouraged and specially socio - economic difficult areas.

According lo history, the land with the name Phan Thiet was opened during the making of the Binh Thuan province. Phan Thiet was known long before it became to provincial capital of Binh Thuan. Before the 20^th century, Phan Thiet was widely appraised as "the busiest urban place" with "fish-trading boats sailing to and fro, prosperous neighborhood and tight knitted streets". With respect to market places alone, at that time Phan Thiet had 4 with populous traders. There were almost every kind of goods, such as rice, salt, sugar, salted fish, fruits, vegetables, silk, fuel oils, aloe wood incense and votive paper.

Coming back to Phan Thiet, I remembered the words of historian Duong Trung Quoc. He said repeatedly the 100 years may be long for an individual's life but it is just a flash in the endless course of human history. In 1998, Phan Thiet jubilantly celebrated its 100^th anniversary. In this 100 year piece of time, so many hardships, losses and gains and so much pride took place. Just in a wink of history. Phan Thiet transformed itself unexpectedly, making a deep impression in the mind of the distinctively patriot, indomitable, faithful, kind-hearted, sincere and hardworking people of Phan Thiet.

Since being allowed by the Government to implement some special regulations, the city has made on its own initiative socio - economic development plans proper for its particular conditions. As a mature man of character, the city has been able to decide by itself important matters even though some times it has to weigh up and discuss back and forth to reach final decision. Nothing venture nothing gain. The city has made fast progress in administrative reforms, eliminating many red tapes.

During our conversation. Mr. Dang Van Dinh, mayor of the city did not conceal his Joys over the achievements Phan Thiet made: "Good economic growth, right economic restructuring; decrease of agricultural, forestall and aquatic percentage in the provincial total production: increase that of industries, construction and services; economic potentials being exploited better; plants structure in agriculture being changed to obtain higher values and specialization; fishing capability being hightened with bigger boats and modem equipment lo exploit fisheries in the high seas; industrial development heading right direction, concentrating on agricultural, seafood processing as well as construction materials and mining; major changes made in trade and tourism; mari-time tourist potentials being exploited, tourist villages being built, Phan Thiet being turned into a maritime tourist city; many tourist projects being implemented successfully and technological application in production; quality of life, productivity and socio - economic efficiency being improved; budget revenues equal to or exceeding planed targets; investment for urban face - lifting being increase; social issues being solved better; education, health care and culture continuing advancing along the line of socialization; jobs being created; resettlement coupled with construction; social policies beneficiaries being better served, people's life being stable and improved generally; people's know/edge being hightened; political security and social order being maintained".

I had the impression that the Mayor could recount about the Phan Thiet city all day. His enthusiasm made me feel that it was not a leader talking about achievements but a native son telling about his homeland with pride. And pride is deserved because in the near future the seaside tourist city of Phan Thiet will come into existence, it is taking shape now.

We want to make an account of Phan Thiet's positive efforts. In the past years, Phan Thiet's economic growth was high, average 13.38% a year. In 1998 and 1999, due to the impacts of the regional economic crisis and natural disasters, the province's economic growth rate was reduced but still generated better results than those of other provinces' cities. After 5 years of continuous growth (1996 - 2000) the city's economy increased 1.87 times. For which the area of agriculture forestall - aquatic increased 1.44 times, industries and construction increased 2.24 times and services increased 1.92 times.

In the economic structure, fishing in particular and aquatic production in general, has been and will continue to be leading position. Phan Thiet's sea products potentials are very great. It is one of the 4 main maritime economic areas of Binh Thuan province. Meanwhile, Binh Thuan is one of the 3 most important fishing provinces of the country, the others are Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces. Fish reserves and exploitation at Phan Thiet's waters account for 1/3 of the province's (reserves: 45 - 50 thousand tons, production: 30 thousand tons a year). Potentials for aquatic cultivation are also great, especially shrimp and other special species like turtles and frogs, 45 km of sea coast is a good promise for shrimp nurseries and caged aquatic cultivation of lobsters, pearl - oysters and fish.

Fishing in Phan Thiet is embarking on industrialization and modernization, together with the whole province and the whole nation. in line with the Resolutions of the III plenary session of the Central Party Committee (the VIII Congress). Phan Thiet in unison with the whole province will exert itself to obtain an annual economic growth of 14 - 15% in the period from today to 2010. To achieve this objective, the aquatic industry worked out 5 programs: to exploit aquatic products in the high seas, to make further investment develop aquatic cultivation, to promote aquatic products processing industry, to make research and survey and to apply scientific and technological methods into training. This correct policy line will help aquatic economy to advance further. The annual aquatic production and cultivation have been equal to or exceeding planned targets, increased from 29.770 tons in 1998 to 47,650 tons in 2002. The city’s fishing boats fleet increased from 1,883 boats with 67,674 horse power in 1998 to 2,218 boats and 107,637 horse power in 2002, averaging 48.5 horse power per boat. Baby shrimp production increased annually. By the end of 2001, there were 61 shrimp nurseries with a total water surface area of 4,934 m², the capacity of each nursery was 5 - 19 million post a year and the total annual post production was 1 50 - 200 tons/year.

Other projects in raising sweet snail and blue clawed shrimp are also having great success.

The face of Phan Thiet city has been beautified and more beautiful features added. Basis construction has been important. with a total investment of over 500 billion dongs, averaging 90 billion dongs per year. The investment has' changed the face of the city profoundly. Social and technical infrastructures have been upgraded. With investment funds from different sources, the city has basically completed the construction of the provincial administrative buildings on the Nguyen Tat Thanh avenue, the upgrade of the city's offices and the renovation and repair of precincts' and communes' administrative quarters. Parks and flowers gardens system are continuously getting expanded and improved. Roads systems have been upgraded and asphalted through out the city, 100% of main roads in the city have been asphalted and 80% of precinct and communal roads have been upgraded. Electrical system has reached all communes. Water supply system has expanded to far away precincts and communes like Ham Tien, Mui Ne and Tien Thanh. Several new residential areas have been shaped. Many new construction projects have been completed, such as: the Ca Ty river embankment, the Le Hong Phong bridge, public buildings and hotels... Many tourist sites have been quickly developed creating a better and more magnificent look of the city.

To meet the needs of social development, great attention has been paid to education and health care. Together with the plan of adding more classrooms at each existing teaching institution, a number of new schools have been built and already put into operation. Many clinics and medical posts have been repaired and upgraded with more advance equipment to meet the needs of medical consultation and treatment. The province is also initiating a project to build a 500 - bed general hospital on an area of 3.7 ha by the national high way N^o 1A in the Phong Nam commune.

It seems probable that mania for earning was kindled at the time when Phan Thiet had the honor of welcoming Uncle Ho lo teach at the Duc Thanh school for a while before went abroad to find way to save the nation. Upholding the tradition of teaching well and learning well, in the past 5 years education of the Phan Thiet city has made remarkable progress. The quality of education has been improved. The number of students who graduated, passed vocational schools entrance examination and had excellent qualification has increased. Primary education universalization and elimination of illiteracy has been main-tamed. Phan Thiet achieved primary education universalization and illiteracy elimination in 1997. The people and all organizations have concerned themselves with education. fostering the young generation of the maritime city.

Phan Thiet - the seaside city.

In the development plans of Binh Thuan province in general and Phan Thiet city in particular, tourist potentials have always been considered and given first priority, especially maritime and environmental tourism. According to plans, the province will form up 4 trade and tourist service centers: Phan Thiet, Ham Tan, Tuy Phong and Phu Quy. The Phan Thiet, precisely the Phan Thiet - Mui Ne tourist center has been the most invested. With a clear sky, a blue sea and abundant sand, Phan Thiet looks like a beautiful landscape picture. It is a price- less gift of nature given to Phan Thiet. The enchanting scenery charm tourists from everywhere. Under golden sun-light, in fresh and salty wind, surrounded by natural newness, tourists can have wonderful time that they can find no where. 20 km out of the total 22 km along the provincial road N^o 706 connecting Phan Thiet to Mui Ne wind its way between the blue sea and picturesque terrain: hills, mountain cliff, sand dunes and cocoa forests. Along these 22 km exist many legendary names. At an attitude of 105 meters above sea surface, Co mountain was known by our ancestors as a meeting place between heaven and earth. Further is the Ngoc Lam hills covered fully with cocoa forests. Come to the Rang (Ham Tien) commune and you will find two likes of cocoa trees embracing the little road that makes you feel like walking on a road leading to magnificent palaces in fairy stories. Then Mui Ne (Ne cape) appears on the background, a dreamed beauty. In Cham language, "Ne" is small. Mui Ne is a fishing village, peaceful in life as well as in nature. The sea is also peaceful, with gentle waves touching white sand beaches under bright sunlight.

It is remembered that the day the potentials of this maritime city were awakened was October 25, 1995 when total eclipse happened. It was another unexpected priceless gift that nature “intentionally" gave to Phan Thiet. On that day venturous projects calling for, foreign investment were approved by the provincial People's Committee. The transformation of the Phan Thiet - Mui Ne region in such a short time surprised both local people and tourist. The number of hotels and rest houses in 1996 was 5. In 2000 it jumped up to 187 with a total investment of 650 billion dongs, of which four were foreign joint ventured with a total investment of 25 million US dollars. The number of hotel rooms also increased quickly. There were 6,000 rooms in 2000, increased two times comparing to 1996. 70% of them are meeting international standard. Recreation services began being invested to meet the needs of tourists. State administration on Tourism became tighter and more progressive. Phan Thiet tourism made a bigger surprise when a new road, a long time dreamed road of the Phan Thiet - Mui Ne people, came into existence in the first quarter of 1999. It takes less than 30 minutes by car to go from Phan Thiet to the priceless pearl of nature: the Rom islet.

Hdiden here and there are the wonders of folk architecture such as the Cham Poshanu tower; the Communal Houses of Duc Thang, Duc Nghia and Van Thuy Tu; and the time honored ancient pagodas. Over a century trying to build busy streets, tall buildings, tourist sites, parks and ports. The spiritual and material life of the people has been improved more and more, but the historical and cultural relies a part of Phan Thiet's cultural heritage are still cherished and respected by the people.

The Mayor of the city. Mr. Dang Van Dinh sincerely expressed : “In the time ahead Phan Thiet has many opportunities and challenges as well. The city's economy still has uncertain factors and its starting - point is lower than those of other cities and towns in the region. The gaps in productive force, science and technologies are still big. Internal capital accumulation, productivity and product’s quality are low, therefore product's competitiveness is weak. Mean while consumers' markets are not stable, restraining production. Infrastructure is not sufficiently invested to satisfy the needs of socio-economic development. Cadres' capability, knowledge and experience are not qualified to fulfill satisfactorily new tasks. Social issues are still difficult and pressing. External political factors affect, not in a small way, the local political - economic situations. Nevertheless, in whatever circum-stances, it is assured that the city administration will always work shoulder to shoulder with the people to dismantle the obstacles to lead the city forwards".

The Mayor said that the city administration will continue creating favorable conditions for economic sectors to invest in production; making and implementing proper policies to encourage investment in exploiting potentials and building up infrastructure; decentralizing powers and coordinating provincial and city institutions for socio - economic development in accordance with plans; shaping market research institutions and diffusing more widely economic in formation to improve market access; organizing different trade arrangements and business associations to promote trade; restructuring the economy, concentrating on the development of industries that the city has advantages and potentials, such as aquatic industry and tourism./.

BACH DUONG