Building a smart and modern Phan Thiet city. Part 1

Phan Thiet - a famous destination for domestic and foreign tourists is making efforts to build a smart, modern urban area like many other cities in the country. However, there are still many shortcomings, especially environmental issues, requiring the synchronous participation of all levels and sectors.

Lesson 1: The appearance of a livable city

Famous for its beautiful landscape, loved by many people at home and abroad, Phan Thiet is striving to build a green, smart, modern urban area.

A corner of Ong Dia Stone Beach - a favorite destination for many tourists.

"The magnet"

Phan Thiet is located on the East Sea coast, with 18 wards and communes, including 2 key tourist wards, Ham Tien and Mui Ne. Phan Thiet is one of the most livable cities in Vietnam because of not only its beautiful natural scenery but also its warm climate all year round. Therefore, many people from regions, countries and territories with cold winters such as the North or further afield in Europe, like to come here to relax, live, study and work. Among them, many people have bought houses to settle down or invested in houses combined with tourism business in Ham Tien and Mui Ne. Ms. Ngoc Van - a citizen of Hanoi is one of the people living in Mui Ne, said that she has been everywhere but nowhere she likes it as much as Phan Thiet, so she decided to buy a house to settle down here.

For Mr. and Mrs. Peter and Anna, Swiss nationals, Mui Ne is their second home. They said that every year in late autumn, preparing for winter, they pack their belongings and return to Mui Ne, except for the years when the Covid-19 pandemic prevented them from returning. They stay from October this year to April next year at the Seahorse resort in Ham Tien ward. They are also among many tourists from Europe who like to come here to relax, enjoy the scenery, explore the beauty of the city, and avoid the cold winter in their hometown. Their vacations often last all winter, especially the elderly.

In the summer, the main visitors are Vietnamese, but in recent years, since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a change, international visitors have decreased compared to before due to the impact of the epidemic and conflicts in some areas of the world. However, Phan Thiet is still a magnet for visitors, especially at the end of the year and in the summer. According to statistics from the Department of Culture and Information of Phan Thiet City, on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2024 alone, the number of visitors to Phan Thiet for sightseeing and relaxation is about 95,000, of which the Ham Tien - Mui Ne area accounts for about 32,000 visitors, an increase of 15%. Previously, in 2023, the number of visitors was more than 6 million, an increase of 20%. Of which, foreign visitors are about 200,000, an increase of 1.5 times compared to the same period in 2022.

Expand the city, improve the appearance

With that advantage, in recent times, with the attention of all levels and sectors, especially the provincial level, Phan Thiet has made efforts to upgrade infrastructure and urban embellishment to meet the needs of a type I urban area by 2025. Up to now, the city's appearance has been different from before, with a synchronously planned and expanded traffic infrastructure, parks and urban works built spaciously, bringing more green, clean and beautiful spaces. Accordingly, the city has repaired and upgraded Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, from Ong Dia Stone to Hoang Ngoc Resort and is continuing the remaining section; upgrading and repairing Doi Duong - Thuong Chanh Park; embellishing Phan Thiet Water Tower Park cluster; and many other modern roads and works... By the end of 2023, the total number of tourism investment projects approved by the Provincial People's Committee for investment in the city that are still in effect is 200 tourism projects, with a total registered area of 2,612.82 hectares. Many projects are in operation and under construction… Security is guaranteed, the administrative reform environment is friendly - simple - on time, increasingly effective, showing the appearance of a smart, modern city on the rise.

*A corner of Phan Thiet today. Photo by Ng.Lan*

Chairman of the People's Committee of Phan Thiet City Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan said that implementing Plan No. 41 of the Provincial People's Committee on implementing the project "Building a smart city in Binh Thuan province, period 2019 - 2025, vision to 2030", based on practical requirements, the city focuses on prioritizing the development of pilot smart cities in 4 areas including: e-Government, tourism, security and safety, and urban planning and management.

In the early 2023 working session with the Standing Committee of Phan Thiet City Party Committee, the provincial leaders also agreed on the policy of continuing to research and develop the Phan Thiet City Expansion Project. The planning must aim to build Phan Thiet into an economic, political, cultural, scientific, and educational center of the province and become a smart, modern urban area.

Phan Thiet City was recognized as a type II urban area in 2009, and is in the process of improving its criteria and aiming to become a type I urban area by 2025. Building a smart city has many meanings towards a better life for the people.

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