Binh Thuan's Construction sector

THE NEW LOOK OF BINH THUAN

During the middle of the 17 century, Binh Thuan Provincial was known as a wild and undeveloped area. However, through numerous fishing trips toward the south of Viet Nam, northern fishermen discovered Binh Thuan was a land "having timely rain and favorable weather". Toward the end of the 17 century, an encouragement was made by Lord Nguyen; increasing inhabitant migrated into the area.

Few centuries later, Binh Thuan had gradually transforming itself into a magnificent urban. Today coming to Binh Thuan, we believe the image of deserted and muddy place is no longer in everyone's mind.

Situated in the south central of Viet Nam, Binh Thuan has gradually formed and has been actively developing all its urban areas. With the view to further enlarging this urbanization process, the people of the committee of Binh Thuan have declared many important policies. Five years after the implementation the government decision number 21NQ/TU regarding urban building and developing by the year of 2010, all urban within the vicinity of Binh Thuan provincial have been improving dramatically. Urbanization plays a major role contributing the process of industrialization and modernization the nation.

A general plan with detail guide line for developing provincial's urban is a must. It creates an important foundation to build and further developed urban with the objective of creating stability in forming and location choosing for new societies. The project of establish and enlarge the urban area are already have planned and centralized. Because of that, Binh Thuan has a well plan enable them to equally develop its three major areas: The South area of the province (commune of Lagi-tan An), the Northern area of the province (commune of Phan Ri Cua. The village of Chi Cong, Hoa Minh are in the process of becoming important urban areas), Central of the province (The City of Phan Thiet). Additionally, there are other communes holding the important role in help pushing further the process of urbanization. Industrialization, agriculture, service are the foundation of this development, pushing the process of urbanization the rural areas and creating more habitant zones. Equal development in all areas and more emphasis are made to further develop even bigger urban areas. Today, Binh Thuan has one urban area rated at level III and nine other urban rated level V. In which, the urban of Phan Thiet is the " heart" of the province with the area of 206.46km square having the population of 198,685 people. Total GDP of the city reached 50.8 billion dong in 2002. Increased 18.7% compares to the year of 1999. Today, the city of Phan Thiet has 8 exploitation industry companies, 817 manufacturing industry companies, 2177 commercial services companies. 3 tourism companies, and 722 hotels. The city has also reserved an area for ship building and repairing as well. Reserved and built an area for manufacturing fish sauce, and also has set a side an area reserved for sea food processing industry locate at the south of Phan Thiet's harbor. Binh Thuan also concentrates in building and developing a commune of Phan Ri Cua and the commune of Lien Huong becoming the most important urban area of the northern region of the province. Infrastructures are being built in all populated areas thru out the provincial. And further develop all industries and home craft industries.

Another strong point in development at Binh Thuan that needs mentioning is their technical and social infrastructure system. In all urban area, the transportation net work have been care- fully designed and managed by the local authorities. Every transportation cooperative organizations have been reorganized and redeveloped. High quality and better equipments strongly encouraged. Old and outdated means in transportation are being replaced with the new ones. The objective is to have better safety equipments to better serve the people. Communes such as: Duc Tai, Vo Xu, Lien Huong, etc. . . had their parking facilities accordingly built and/or upgraded. Especially at the city of Phan Thiet, it has developed an intra-transportation system with its provincial's. The city has invested the total of 201.5 billion dong in upgrading its 104.8 km road with asphalted surface. 85% of all inner cities' road have been built and/or renovated with new asphalt surface. 100% of all major connecting points to the surrounding areas are also upgraded. 75% of its communes' roads and streets have also been made with concrete and asphalted. At all urban those having the ability to further develop in sector of fishing industry with harbor; transporting sea food products, etc. . . are all have been built to readily supporting the marina industry in the future.

All drainage system in the populated area has been constructed. 85% of the people are having clean water. Particularly in the city of Phan Thiet, 95% of its people are using clean water which meeting the standard of having from 120 to 150 liters/person/day. Over all, Binh Thuan provincial is trying very hard to have a clean water supply system in every town, urban and village by the year of2010. The Ca Giang water company is continuously making more investment and development to increase its supplying capacity of 15,000 cubic meter of water/day in order to provide clean water service to the city of Phan Thiet city once it has been better developed after the year of 2010. Water supply system at Tan An (Ham Tan) Lau Market (Bac Binh) have also expanded and increased its capacity from 1.5 to 2 times more powerful than before. The communication net work is gradually being perfected. Automation network is independently operated with in each urban. This communication is being implemented thru out the province. For Phan Thiet, the city is striving to have 25 telephones/1oo people by the year of 2010. Constantly expanding and developing various new communication services and providing many useful information channels better improve people's livelihood. Electricity system and street lights are also being invested, built, developed and upgraded with the total investment cost of over 68 billion dong. In 1999 the number of family were having electricity power in all urban area had reached 79.8%. The goal to reach for in 2003 is projected to be more than 92%. In 1999, the average power consumption for every one was at 225.81kwh/person/year. In 2002 the consumption level was increased to 381.53kwhlperson/year. The projection for the year of 2010 will be 800kwh/person/year. All other fields such as: education, medical, cultural, etc... are also being cared for. Education system is carefully researched and designed. Its main emphasis is concentrated in two areas of quantity as well as quality. 100% of all village and communes are having their elementary schools established and successfully eliminated the problem in illiteracy. Popularizing the elementary education level system through out the provincial. Living environmental and urban's public hygienic are gradually improving. In over all, process of developing social technical infrastructure are gradually creating a positive environment to attract various investment. pushing to reach the goal of urbanizing the rural area and upbringing the quality of life for all urban.

The process of urban developing has greatly causing the natural land with in the provincial to become more valuable. In 1997, the urban area has taken 16% of all the total available land of province. In 2002, that percentage has increased to 20%. All over the provincial, urban population has a better increasing rate comparing to other urban areas in the nation. It also had surpassed the population goal which it had set out in the year of 1998.

In 1998, the number of the urban population was 24.2%. In 2000, that percentage was increased to 33.3%. Having that steady growth maintained, the province will have about 36% of its total population living in the urban areas. At the city of Phan Thiet, the city is striving to have 85% of total labor forces working in the non - agriculture sector and it is aiming to reach 90% in 2010.

Together with the objective of developing its urban, the province also pays great attention in developing its urban economic system appropriately. With that, creating services industry is their primary goal. Choosing this industry will help creating a force to push local economy further developed. Service industry has increased from 53.35% in 1998 to 62.27% in 2002. Just for the industry alone, over 70% of all product value were contributed or created by the industries and home craft industry of province. The Phan Thiet industrial zone has attracted 1 4 different investment projects with the total capital registered at 118,813 million dongs and 5.45 million USD. By the year of 2010, Phan Thiet city will be the key area in developing of industry and home craft industry of the province. It will build an industrial zone with an area of 80 ha along the national high way 55 (in the regions of Hoa Minh - Phan Ri). The area of Lien Huong will be reserved and developing seafood and general food processing and packaging. Building an industrial zone at Lac Tri with an area 50 ha with the possibility of expanding to 100 ha if needed. Binh Thuan has an advantage possessing a strong fishing economy. Already being strong in processing seafood market, the province also building other services industry such as build and repair ship, producing blockage of ices ( to preserve the fresh- ness of fish ). For tourist service sector, its overall revenue is responsible for 32.75% to 36.71% of the total province's economy system. Claiming from 67,413 billion dongs to 133.4 billion dongs, Binh Thuan also continuously further develops all other tourist area located along the beaches (from Long Son stream to Hoa Thang, from Tien Thanh (Phan Thiet) to Ham Tan and the area of Binh Thanh (Tuy Phong). The number of incoming tourist is increasing each day. Phan Thiet City has earned a well known name in the areas as the "tourist city".

With the motto of "government and people as one"... The provincial is encouraging its citizens to join forces and capitals to further develop the provincial's economy system. Binh Thuan provincial is trying its best obtaining and combining all sources of measures in building and developing its infrastructure. The province is supplying up to date information on the large scale to the people with the view of better managing the economy system.

Presently the rate of urbanizing rural area is growing fast, and that's a must in order to develop a country. Therefore, establishing a Unicode for all urban areas is a must. Carefully select appropriate locations to best fit the future development, gradually and solidly creating a strong cultural-socio- economy network. Minimizing the different development of each urban. At the same time, the province is pushing hard the process of urbanizing communes and villages and creating more and new communes and villages. Further building and developing existing modernized urban and creating strong and stable economic system is the goal of Binh Thuan province till the year 2010. In parallel to that, Binh Thuan is trying to have the Phan Thiet city to be classified as a level 11 urban area by the year of 2010. La Gi section - a nearby area- will become level II and will upgrade all communes at the South of province. More investment will be made to further develop the area of Phan Ri Cua and all the adjacent areas with the goal of becoming an urban rated level V. Next, Binh Thuan will also concentrate in developing all its communes and villages, the entire province will be having one urban rated at level II, two urban areas at level V, and ten to twelve urban are rated at level V. Ensuring all building developing and upgrading are ensured to be within the guideline of the projects in view to preserve and develop the local culture and architecture.

Building and developing an urban system would help upbringing the standard living of the people in a positive way. Side by side with that, the fast movement in building and development the urban areas as well as in other important sectors such as: social welfare, cultural and living environmental condition need to be equally concerned as well as researched and further studied. Government officials need to have appropriated methods and measures to minimize the extreme effects as resulting from the process of building and developing a huge economy.

Urbanization is the powerful the driving force to speeding the process of industrialization and modernization of the country. With the current rate of building and developing, Binh Thuan is making changes every day. Hopefully with the very near future, we would see a better Binh Thuan nicely developed in every ways./.

NGUYEN HUONG