Once seen as a gateway for Tay Ninh province in trade exchange and an international trade center, Xa Mat EZ has not been busy for many years.

In Xa Mat EZ

Tien Phong’s reporters on September 20 sawthat Highway No 22B, the main road to the border EZ, had many potholes. There were storehouses of enterprises located along the two sides of the highway, but they were deserted. Many companies have stopped operation, while others are operating at a moderate level.

The current situation is quite different from 2015, when people came in and out in crowds. Now, the EZ is quiet with just several tea shops. There are rubber forests and deserted land around.

Nguyen Thi Phung, 32, of Tan Lap commune of Tan Bien district, Tay Ninh province, said that her tea shop is not doing well.

Once seen as a gateway for Tay Ninh province in trade exchange and an international trade center, Xa Mat EZ has not been busy for many years.

According to Phung, when the casinos on the other side of the border with Cambodia shut down, people no longer visited the border area and crossed the border gate.

Phung, who has been there for 10 years, cannot see anything developing, except sparse parking lots and houses, while no industrial zone and residential quarter have arisen.

The same situation can be seen at the Moc Bai International Border EZ. In the past, when duty-free supermarkets and shopping malls operated, they were crowded with visitors and buyers.

Pham Thanh Hai, 70, in Thuan Loi commune of Ben Cau district, who witnessed the changes of the border EZ, said most people come to do business or cross the border gate to Cambodia to gamble.

According to Nguyen Hong Son, head of the Tay Ninh EZ Management Board, border EZs in the provinces have been ‘clinically dead’ for many years because of the changes in the policy on preferences for buying/selling duty-free goods at the EZs.

Son said the policy has changed with stricter and less preferential regulations.

“Offered preferences have been cut. As businesses find it no longer profitable to trade goods, they have stopped operation,” Son said.

Tay Ninh plans to adjust the programing of border EZ development to improve matters. Xa Mat will focus on border services, storehouse and logistics. As for Moc Bai, industrial zones with urban areas will be developed and expanded.

Mai Lan 

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