Efforts to prepare for customs operations at Long Thanh International Airport

	Dong Nai Customs: well preparation for new border gate infrastructure projects
	Dong Nai Customs: Prepare for new border gate infrastructure projects

Sir, Long Thanh airport is under construction and is expected to be operational in 2026. As the unit assigned to carry out customs management here, how do you assess the opportunities and challenges for Dong Nai Customs Department?

Long Thanh International Airport is a national key project, which is being urgently deployed, constructed and built by ministries, sectors and related units. According to the report of the Project Management Board, Long Thanh International Airport belongs to Vietnam Airports Corporation - JSC (ACV), it is expected that by the end of the third quarter of 2026, the cargo terminal of Long Thanh International Airport Project (phase 1) will be put into operation.

As the unit that will be assigned the task of performing customs management at Long Thanh International Airport, Dong Nai Customs Department is very honored and proud of this. This will be a great opportunity for Dong Nai Customs Department to challenge and affirm its role, position and management capacity in the customs field.

How is the preparation for the implementation of customs activities at Long Thanh Airport, including the Airport Customs Sub-department and the Express Delivery Sub-department, of Dong Nai Customs being carried out? Does the unit encounter any difficulties in the preparation work?

Currently, the headquarters of Long Thanh International Airport Customs Sub-department and The Express Goods Management Sub-department are in the stage of approving the design and construction. The General Department of Customs is the unit assigned to be the Investor for the Project.

Dong Nai Customs Department is closely following and coordinating with related units under the General Department of Customs to deploy and carry out the work in the process of designing, constructing and building the two headquarters of the Customs agency at Long Thanh International Airport. At the same time, the Department has established a Working Group to deploy the work for Long Thanh International Airport before it goes into operation.

The above Working Group has also developed a plan to conduct a field survey and learn from experience at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and at the Customs Sub-department at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (expected date: August 22, 2024).

The field of customs management at international airports is a completely new field for Dong Nai Customs Department. Therefore, in the preparation work in the professional field, including management, inspection, customs supervision, etc in the field of international airports; the field of arrangement, organization, training, recruitment, etc as well as contributing ideas to relevant agencies and units in the work of completing the design for implementation and construction, there are not many, not very realistic; because the unit does not have experience and there are still many issues that need to be exchanged and learned from experience.

With a huge amount of work to be done, while there is not much time left, what suggestions or recommendations do you have to support Dong Nai Customs Department to ensure the set progress, ensuring the implementation of customs activities as soon as the airport comes into operation?

In the spirit of urgency of the project, as well as the attention and close direction of superior agencies, especially the General Department of Customs, Dong Nai Customs Department has been closely following the progress of the project, as well as regularly exchanging and coordinating with related units to ensure that the work is always carried out in parallel, ensuring the progress of the project. At the same time, the Department also regularly summarizes difficulties and problems to report and request guidance from the General Department of Customs to ensure the implementation of customs activities as soon as the airport comes into operation.

However, one of the current problems is the issue of personnel. Specifically, Dong Nai Customs Department currently has 285 civil servants. Meanwhile, according to the General Department of Customs' plan for the organization at Long Thanh International Airport, phase 1 (from 2025 to 2050) will include 2 sub-departments: Long Thanh International Airport Customs Sub-department and Express Goods Management Customs Sub-department under Dong Nai Customs Department. The General Department of Customs has specifically developed job positions at the 2 sub-departments with an expected number of 730 employees. Of which, Long Thanh International Airport Border Gate Customs Sub-department has 462 employees; the Express Goods Management Customs Sub-department has 268 employees.

Thus, according to the above expected number, the customs force at Long Thanh International Airport in the future will be 2.5 times larger than the current Dong Nai Customs Department.

Therefore, Dong Nai Customs Department has proposed that the General Department of Customs consider adding a separate staff for Long Thanh International Airport to Dong Nai Customs Department to have a recruitment and training plan to proactively prepare resources when Long Thanh airport comes into operation.

Dong Nai Customs Department hopes that the General Department of Customs will soon approve the additional staff, and at the same time have a policy to attract and recruit young human resources, especially giving priority to personnel with good foreign language skills, personnel in the locality or neighboring provinces so that they can stick with and work stably for a long time at the unit.

Regarding the organizational situation, Dong Nai Customs Department recommends that Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee consult with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs to soon establish two Sub-departments: Long Thanh International Airport Customs Sub-department and Express Cargo Management Customs Sub-department under Dong Nai Customs Department.

Thank you, sir!