Upstream on the Ban Thach River

The Ban Thach River has been intertwined with the lives of generations of people in the villages along its banks. Mr. Nguyen Van Ba, from Nam Binh 2 neighborhood (Dong Hoa ward), reminisces: "In the old days, villagers looked at the river to name the seasons. During the flood season, floodwaters from the highlands rushed down, reaching the very edge of the villages. Some years, the area was completely submerged, forcing villagers to flee to the mountains for temporary refuge, waiting for the water to recede before returning. Nowadays, sturdy embankments and canals have helped regulate the flow. During the flood season, the water still rises, but it no longer affects people's lives. In the dry season, the river provides irrigation water for thousands of hectares of farmland, resulting in bountiful harvests…"

And many traditional craft villages have sprung up from the fragrant herbs of the river.

To reach Truong Thinh pottery village, from National Highway 1 to the Cay Bang intersection (the entrance gate to the Dong Hoa Ward Administrative Center), turn onto Vo Nguyen Giap road. On both sides, you'll find rows of kilns, teapots, jars, vases, chimneys, well casings, etc. Some are freshly molded, still retaining their original earthy color and soft, moist texture. Most are sturdy, brick-red finished products, waiting to be loaded onto trucks for sale. The brick-red color is characteristic of Truong Thinh pottery. The villagers are proud of this natural color because it's created from clay from the Ban Thach riverside area and local fields after being fired in a red-hot kiln.

Clay stoves, now dried and ready to be placed in the kiln. Photo: Duong Thanh Xuan

Truong Thinh pottery village is one of the oldest traditional craft villages in the eastern part of Dak Lak province . Compared to its heyday, Truong Thinh pottery may have declined somewhat, but the villagers can still make a living from the craft because the pottery products here serve the essential needs of the people. Currently, Truong Thinh pottery is still sold alongside other earthenware and porcelain products in markets such as Tuy Hoa, Hoa Xuan, and Hoa Vinh. Ms. Hoang Thi Am, a small trader at Tuy Hoa market, shared: "The reason Truong Thinh pottery is still popular is because of its simplicity and high applicability. It's not a high-end art product for display like other types of pottery; it's an indispensable product in the daily life of every family."

From the entrance gate of the Dong Hoa Ward Administrative Center, heading west and crossing the Ben Lon Bridge, you'll reach Hoa Xuan lotus village. Located on the left bank of the Ban Thach River, the Nam Binh 1 and Thach Cham neighborhoods are filled with the fragrant scent of lotus flowers. For the past five years, lotus cultivation has been a successful crop conversion on less productive rice land, bringing prosperity to the local people.

Going upstream along the Ban Thach River to Hoa Thinh commune is Hoa Dong lotus village. Like Hoa Xuan lotus, Hoa Dong lotus has established a brand, processed into many products and achieving OCOP 3-star and 4-star certifications, including lotus seed powder, fresh lotus, lotus heart tea, lotus leaf tea… Mr. Le Tan Khoa, a lotus farmer in Hoa Thinh commune, said: “My family grows 1.4 hectares of lotus according to VietGAP standards. Every part of the lotus plant – leaves, stems, calyxes, and tubers – is usable; the value of 1 kg of lotus is equivalent to 4 kg of rice. I and other lotus farmers in the commune don't worry about sales because the cooperative guarantees the purchase of all our produce.”

The alluvial soil deposited by the Ban Thach River has created a vast and fertile agricultural region. From lotus to peanuts, from sweet potatoes to yams, from rice to watermelons, cantaloupes, pumpkins… each season brings its own produce. In the past, agricultural products from the villages were transported far and wide by ferry during the high water season. Today, sturdy bridges have replaced those ferries, connecting the villages along the river into a thriving area. During harvest season, trucks from all over are parked at the foot of the bridges, waiting to collect the produce into large and small sacks, which are then loaded onto the trucks and transported to the South and North.

The Ban Thach River as seen from Ben Lon Bridge.

Since 2000, five new bridges have been built along the Ban Thach River: the Da Nong Bridge, the new Ban Thach Bridge, the Ben Lon Bridge, the Da Coi Bridge, and the new Ben Cui Bridge. Each bridge not only shortens the distance between the two banks but also opens up new development opportunities for the area.

Along this river, the new Ban Thach Bridge is a vital link connecting to National Highway 1. From Ban Thach Bridge towards the sea, the Da Nong Bridge, built in 2000, connects Hoa Hiep Industrial Zone with Vung Ro Port, supporting the coastal transportation route from South Tuy Hoa to Vung Ro. Further upstream, the Da Coi Bridge connects Lac Dao village – formerly the most remote and isolated village – closer to the commune center. The Ben Cui Bridge in Hoa Thinh commune, built in the 1980s and rebuilt in 2013, has become a flood control structure serving the local population.

Located centrally on the river, Ben Lon Bridge is a crucial link between the production area on the other side of the Ban Thach River and the central urban area of Dong Hoa Ward on this side. Mr. Ngo Van Tinh, Head of Nam Binh 1 neighborhood, shared: "Since the Ben Lon Bridge was built, residents of Nam Binh 1, Nam Binh 2, and Thach Cham neighborhoods have shortened their detour by 5-7 kilometers when going to National Highway 1. Children in the neighborhood can go to school, and adults can go to work and do business much more conveniently."

Right at the foot of Ben Lon Bridge, the embankment project to prevent erosion on the right bank of Ban Thach River is being urgently completed. This project will help create a riverside urban area along Ban Thach River, giving a new look to the Nam Binh urban area and increasing connectivity with the central area of the ward as well as the coastal area.

Mr. Le Van Thin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Dong Hoa Ward, said: The detailed urban planning projects related to the Ban Thach River have been approved, including the 1/500 detailed planning project for the riverside urban area from Ben Lon Bridge to Ban Thach Bridge, the 1/500 detailed planning project for the Nam Binh urban area project, and the 1/500 detailed planning project for the Ban Thach riverside urban area. In the period 2026-2030, the locality will coordinate with the Phu Yen Economic Zone Management Board and provincial departments and agencies to attract investment in the development of tourism services, urban areas, and the Ban Thach riverside corridor, transforming the riverside space into a developed ecological urban space.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202510/nguoc-dong-ban-thach-5ea06e4/