There’s a need for a cargo inspection yard at Thuong Phuoc international border gate

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Customs officers at Thuong Phuoc border gate check vehicles of border residents passing through the land border gate. Photo: T.H

Inspecting goods on the Tien river

Director of Thuong Phuoc Border Gate Customs Branch Le Van Thao said that the unit is assigned to manage Thuong Phuoc international border gate in Thuong Phuoc 1 commune, Hong Ngu district, Dong Thap province, adjacent to the Kaoh Roka international border gate in Kaoh Roka commune, Peam Chor district, Prey Veng province, Cambodia.

Thuong Phuoc border gate is an international river border gate – the unique specialized border gate in the country, but there is no a yard or terminal to load and unload goods for physical inspection.

Currently, when businesses need to transship import and export goods, they arrange for vehicles to anchor on the river to load, unload, and transfer goods at landmark 0 on the Tien River (at landmark 0 on the Vietnam– Cambodia border).

The Customs supervision and inspection of import-export and transit containers on barges face many difficulties and dangers when they are carried out on the river.

"Every time there is a barge transporting containers subject to customs inspection and supervision, customs officials have to take canoes to the middle of the river and climb on high stacks of containers to inspect, which is very difficult and dangerous, especially for female civil servants and when the weather is bad..." Mr. Le Van Thao said.

Therefore, to ensure customs inspection and supervision of import and export goods and means of export and import, the Customs agency recommends that leaders at all levels pay attention to investing in building an inspection yard at Thuong Phuoc border gate (according to Decision No. 1579/QD-TTg dated September 22, 2021 of the Prime Minister approving the Master Plan for development of Vietnam's seaport system).

The above yard is intended to serve the mooring of ships, loading and unloading goods and ensure customs inspection convenient and in accordance with regulations.

Lack of legal basis

In addition to difficulties from the river international border gate route, for the Thuong Phuoc land border gate, the Customs agency is also facing difficulties in resolving import and export procedures for goods and means of entry and exit for businesses due to lack of legal basis.

According to Thuong Phuoc Border Gate Customs Branch, the Cambodian road route from the capital Phnom Penh, the center of Preyveng province to Thuong Phuoc border gate has been completed and put into operation for nearly 2 years now and often has large number of motor vehicles and cars.

Currently, many businesses, organizations and individuals contact the branch to carry out import and export procedures for goods and means of entry and exit via the road route at Thuong Phuoc international border gate, but there is no legal basis, so Thuong Phuoc Border Gate Customs Branch cannot carry out procedures.

On October 14, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1200/QD-TTg on border gate planning on the Vietnam - Cambodia land border in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. In which, Thuong Phuoc border gate is planned to be an international land border gate.

With the above basis, Thuong Phuoc Border Gate Customs Branch proposed that the Vietnamese Government negotiate and reach an agreement with the Cambodian Government to decide to open and upgrade Thuong Phuoc (Dong Thap) - Kaoh Roka (Prey Veng) international land border gate to develop border trade via road (currently trade is only implemented via river).

According to Thuong Phuoc Customs Branch, in the immediate future, to remove inadequacies and difficulties for border gate management forces in handling customs procedures for import and export goods, vehicles, and people on entry, exit and in transit through land border gate; and create favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to carry out import-export, immigration, and transit procedures; accelerate the development of border trade, maintain security, order and safety at border gates and border areas, the Government is proposed to soon consider and decide to open a land "customs clearance" path according to the provisions of Clause 3, Article 4 of Decree No. 112/2014/ND-CP (amended and supplemented in Clause 2, Article 1 Decree No. 34/2023/ND-CP of the Government).