Opportunities for growth after the merger.

Young people in Pom Coong village are continuing to preserve the traditional craft of brocade weaving.

From a small rice field to a bustling handicraft shop.

Ms. Ha Thi Hoan, a simple and down-to-earth woman of the Thai ethnic group in Pom Coong hamlet, Mai Chau commune, once dedicated her life to a small plot of land measuring only 1,000 square ^meters . For years, poverty clung to her family like a shadow. Each season, she diligently plowed, sowed, and carefully tended to each rice plant and potato, but her income was never enough to provide a comfortable life.

However, in recent years, this woman's life has taken a new turn thanks to the strong development of community tourism in Mai Chau. Recognizing the increasing interest in Thai ethnic brocade products from tourists, Ms. Hoan boldly opened a small shop right in her simple stilt house, selling brocade scarves, bags, shirts, and skirts.

Besides selling goods, she also transformed a corner of her house into a "mini-stage" to showcase traditional weaving for tourists to watch and experience. The loom creaked, the threads glowed with vibrant colors, and her nimble hands skillfully wove intricate patterns of ethnic designs. Tourists, both domestic and international, stopped to admire her work and bought her products as souvenirs.

"Tourists come to watch me weave, then they buy scarves and bags. At first, I was hesitant because I'm poor, and my neighborhood is also poor, but now I'm confident in introducing Thai products to foreigners," Ms. Hoan happily shared, her eyes shining with pride.

From a woman who spent her days toiling in the fields, Ms. Hoan has now become a small "ambassador" of Thai culture in the heart of Mai Chau. Not only has she increased her income, but she has also spread her love for traditional crafts to the younger generation in her village, inspiring sustainable change stemming from the community's own strength. As a result, the traditional brocade weaving craft has not only been preserved but has also flourished, becoming an attractive tourist product.

It's not just Ms. Hoan; dozens of households in Pom Coong have also transformed themselves, gradually progressing by taking advantage of opportunities from community tourism development.

A rural area is flourishing.

Infrastructure investment in the commune has continued to be promoted in recent years thanks to the effective integration of capital from the central and provincial governments, as well as contributions from the people. Mai Chau commune currently has 125 investment projects with a total capital of over 1,135 billion VND, focusing on transportation, education , health, electricity, water, information technology, and tourism infrastructure.

It's impossible not to mention the impressive flourishing of trade, services, and tourism in Mai Chau. The commune currently has 584 individual business households and 61 operating accommodation establishments, including 44 homestays with many traditional stilt house architectures. Experiential, resort, and eco-tourism options are attracting an increasing number of visitors, generating significant income for the local people.

Simultaneously, tourism promotion and advertising efforts have been intensified, bringing the image of Mai Chau closer to domestic and international friends. Festivals and cultural and sports activities associated with ethnic identity are regularly organized, creating unique highlights for local tourism.

In addition, the industrial and handicraft sectors remain stable with 279 active production facilities, creating jobs for thousands of workers. Effective cooperatives have contributed to promoting agricultural production, trade and services, and building value chains for local agricultural products and brocade. The application of science and technology in production is increasingly widespread, improving the productivity and quality of agricultural products.

Along with economic development, Mai Chau commune has always paid attention to social welfare. The "Joining hands to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses" movement has yielded positive results, with 75 households receiving support to build new houses. Policies for war veterans and social welfare are implemented fully and promptly.

Believe in the road ahead.

According to Comrade Ha Van Di, Secretary of the Party Committee of Mai Chau commune, the vision for 2030 is for Mai Chau commune to become a key eco-tourism destination nationwide. The commune will continue to streamline its administrative apparatus to be "lean, efficient, effective, and efficient," while restructuring and building a team of qualified, capable, and reputable officials commensurate with their tasks; focusing on tourism development linked to the preservation of ethnic cultural values, especially the Thai ethnic culture; developing green, environmentally friendly tourism; and applying digital transformation in tourism promotion and management.

Furthermore, developing the processing industry for agricultural and forestry products, building materials, and traditional crafts linked to local raw materials will be a sustainable direction. Trade and service activities will also continue to diversify, creating a solid foundation for people to develop their economy.

With the goal of making Mai Chau a national ecotourism destination by 2030, despite many challenges ahead, belief in Mai Chau's future development after the merger is spreading throughout every village. This belief is nurtured by the existing changes, the involvement of the entire political system, and the dynamism, unity, and creativity of each and every local resident.

Hong Trung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/co-hoi-phat-trien-sau-sap-nhap-237241.htm