Improve customs management capacity at Can Tho and Phu Quoc international airports

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Customs Branch of Can Tho Port Border Gatecarries out procedures for passengers at Can Tho International Airport. Photo Đ.N

Create the most favorable conditions

At Can Tho International Airport, the number of international flights from Malaysia and Thailand has beenincreasing since April 2019, so far the number of international flights between the two countries is more than 300 with nearly 40,000 passengers, and nearly 30,000 pieces of luggage with a total weight of more than 300 tons.

Currently, Can Tho Customs Department assigns theCustoms Branch of Can Tho Port Border Gate to carry out customs procedures for flights at Can Tho International Airport. At PhuQuoc International Airport, from the beginning of this year, there have been over 3,200 international flights with over 450,000 passengers from South Korea, China, Sweden, Russia, Italy, England, Thailand and Malaysia. In particular, the wedding of anIndian billionaire couple with 500-700 guests was an opportunity for PhuQuoc to promote tourism andattract foreign visitors.

Following the direction of Customs and localities, PhuQuoc Customs Branch (KienGiang) and the Customs Branch of Can Tho Port Border Gate (Can Tho) tried to create the best conditions in entry-exit procedures, ensuring compliance with the law, contributing to socio-economic development in PhuQuoc as well as the Mekong Delta region. KienGiang Customs Department and Can Tho Customs Department have directed two management units of PhuQuoc Customs Sub-Department and Customs Branch of Can Tho Port Border Gate to arrange officers with professional competence and communication skills toareas for screening carry on/check-in baggage to ensure the inspection and supervision of luggage of passengers on exit and entry, and settle customs clearance for luggage of passengers on exit and entry quickly, in accordance with international practice. In addition, a large number of export turnover for in-flight meal for foreign aircraft and exported items in isolated areas has also been facilitated by customs units.

Mr. Vo Ngoc Tam, Director of Can Tho Customs Department said that his unit has paid attention to the training and retraining for officers and officials to improve the capacity and qualifications, meeting the increasing requirements in State management on Customs when Can Tho and the Mekong Delta will attract more investment projects and international visitors as well as the demand for economic and tourism exchange between Vietnam and other countries. Recently, Can Tho Customs Department has coordinated with Da Nang Customs Department to invite officials to organize practical training on customs management at the airport. Thus, Can Tho Customs officers will have more knowledge and experience.

Difficulties

One of the biggest difficulties in Customs management at Can Tho and PhuQuoc international airports is the lack of human resources. Particularly, in KienGiang and Can Tho Customs Departments, the airport management departments are those that carry out both airport procedures and customs procedures for sea cargoes and enterprises investing, importing and exporting in the area,so human resources are seriously lacking. According to KienGiang Customs Department, at PhuQuoc Customs Branch, there are times when there are less than tenofficersforfive shifts within 24 hours, so many civil servants are tired. The situation is similar at the Customs Branch of Can Tho Port Border Gate. The current human resources at these two branches are only suitable for the previous period with several flights per week.According to the Customs units of Can Tho and KienGiang, there are daily flights at Can Tho international airport, while PhuQuoc airport has an average of five flights per day, so less manpower means it is difficult to performthe workwell.

Facing the above problems, Mr. Ngo Hoang Hai, Director of KienGiang Customs Department, said in the short term, the Department will continue to strengthen the arrangement and selection of officials with appropriate professional and foreign language to supplement PhuQuoc Customs Branch to ensure quick and convenient procedures. In the long term, KienGiang Customs Department needs to add more officers to PhuQuoc Customs Department through mobilization from other units or a special recruitment mechanism. Currently, the PhuQuocinternational airport has established two duty-free shops and three warehouses forimport-export, so the work of PhuQuoc Customs Branch is expected to increase in the future. It is expected that in the last months of 2019, PhuQuoc International Airport will open routes to Sweden, Hong Kong and South Korea; Can Tho international airport will open routes to South Korea and Taiwan.

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Currently, PhuQuoc Customs Sub-Department and Customs Branch of Can Tho Port Border Gate are mainly carrying out procedures for passengers and their luggage, but it is forecast that in the future, smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods and illegal transportation of goods by air may arise, especially passengers taking advantage of the duty-free standard. Trafficking and transport of drugs and foreign currencies could also be a problem.

Therefore, in addition to improving the capacity in making procedures, KienGiang and Can Tho Customs also need to strengthen the capacity of the customs control force to always keep vigilance, develop plans, appropriate control measures and strengthen patrols to handlethe situation in order to actively fight and prevent smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, illegal transportation of goods, precursors and drugs at airport gates.