At the border gate where the light is on

	Customs officer owns lots of useful software
	Challenges in anti-drugs cross HCM City border gate.
	Customs management for border trade activities will have some changes

Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Officer (Quang Tri Customs Department) is on duty to handle procedures for the final shipment of the day. Photo: Quang Hung

Take advantage of time for meeting units

Following the legendary Road 9 route, passing through Khe Sanh town, we arrived at Lao Bao town (Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri) at night when the weather was gradually changing.

The border area appeared peaceful. It was almost 21:00, Lao Bao international border gate was still open to resolve procedures and as a means of transporting goods back and forth. In each position, the Customs and Border Guard forces check and supervise goods and vehicles through the border gate area.

Talking to us at head office, Deputy Head of Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Department, Nguyen Ngoc Hai, said that Lao Bao international border gate facilities are well invested, the general inspection area is covered and the lighting system is suitable for businesses with import and export activities throughout the locality. Compared to daytime, the work generated at night is reduced so it allocates less staff (still more than 50 officials and civil servants) to the task. In order to avoid overburdened cadres and civil servants affecting the quality of work, unit leaders are always flexible, rotating officers but still ensuring reasonable hours.

"Due to the characteristics of the work at the border gate, the unit must take advantage of the time before 07:00 and after 22:00 hours to convene cadres and civil servants to work meetings. Most cadres and civil servants also have to take advantage of the time before work to practice sport”- the Deputy Director said.

Customs force and Border Guard of Lao Bao international border coordinate to monitor immigration vehicles. Photo: Quang Hung

Ready to support the procedure

According to journalists studies, over the past 6 years (since April 1, 2013 to present), Lao Bao international border gate has extended the opening time of the border gates, excluding holidays or weekends. The increase in working time at Lao Bao international border gate is considered in line with the development trend of the region and compatible with the opening and closing times of Savannakhet (Laos) and Mukdahan (Thai Lan) at Huu Nghi 2 Bridge. By effectively exploiting the East-West Economic Corridor, conditions for people, vehicles and goods, especially for agricultural product importers, tourists and border residents to exchange, buy and sell goods more conveniently are created.

Some Customs officials said that after 17:00 hours, import and export goods through the area often have specific items such as fruit, cattle and electronic transits from Thailand and Malaysia via Lao Bao international border gate to China and vice versa. It is a typical characteristic that import-export enterprises can be more flexible in business without being too dependent on the time of customs clearance of goods.

Representatives of Saigon Trading Co., Ltd. specializing in importing fruit said that most imported goods originated from Thailand and with the distance traveled, goods transportation time is significant. In many cases, goods arriving at Lao Bao international border gate after 17:00 hours are always supported by the Customs forces to solve procedures. Businesses therefore limit damages caused by spoiled goods.

In recent years, the number of enterprises, number of declarations and turnover of imports and exports through Lao Bao international border gate has increased remarkably. During the first 6 months of 2019 (from January 1 to May 16), Lao Bao Border Gate Customs Sub-Department completed customs procedures for 3,854 import-export declarations, up 73%; import and export turnover reached 136.7 million USD, up 69% compared to the same period last year.

Lao Bao Customs detected 19 kg drugs in loudspeakers VCN- On 13 December 2018, the Quang Tri Customs Department’s leader said that the Department coordinated with ...

This shows that great efforts are being made by Lao Bao Customs officers and civil servants in the reform of administrative procedure. Besides creating favorable conditions for import and export activities, civil servants always remain vigilant for those who are willing to take advantage of the gaps in the customs procedures to carry out the illegal transportation of goods across borders.