Tịnh Biên border market.
Border markets attract visitors from afar.
In the last days of November 2025, the Tinh Bien border market (Tinh Bien market) was not overly bustling, but the stalls were still fully stocked with everything from consumer goods, shoes, and cosmetics to confectionery and soft drinks.
Ms. Le Thi Phuong is a small business owner who has been involved with the market since its early days.
Next to her small shoe stall, Ms. Le Thi Phuong, who has been working at the market since 2002, meticulously arranges each pair of sandals. "I sell both Vietnamese and Thai products, at very affordable prices," Ms. Phuong said.
Tourists visit Tinh Bien market.
According to Ms. Phuong, Tinh Bien market is no longer as bustling as it used to be, with increasingly abundant sources of goods everywhere. But after nearly 25 years of dedication, she has never considered changing professions.
“Thanks to this market, I was able to raise my two children and give them a proper education. In the last few months of the year, there are few customers and sales are slow, but during the festival of the Goddess of Mount Sam, the Tinh Bien market attracts many visitors, and I manage to make up for it. Many people just stop by to see what it's like without buying anything, but I still happily welcome them. Thanks to my friendliness and enthusiasm, they come back to buy more as gifts,” Mrs. Phuong shared.
Tịnh Biên Market is the livelihood of Ms. Nguyen Thi Lieu and hundreds of other small traders.
A few stalls away, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lieu cheerfully welcomed tourists visiting her confectionery stall. She said the market is busiest from January to April of the lunar calendar – the season when pilgrims visit the Ba Chua Xu Temple at Sam Mountain. “Here you can find both Thai and Vietnamese confectionery. I’ve been helping the shop owner sell for 10 years, earning 6 million VND a month, which is enough to support my family,” Ms. Lieu said.
This is the fish sauce stall of Ms. Nguyen Thi An Vy.
What most captivates tourists is the distinctive aroma of fish sauce emanating from the stall of Ms. Nguyen Thi An Vy, with her "Ba Giao Huong" brand fish sauce. "My family has been making fish sauce for four generations. We sell the most popular fish sauces made from snakehead fish, carp, catfish, tilapia, mud crab, and Thai fish sauce… During the tourist season, we have 300-400 customers a day, earning tens of millions of dong," Ms. Vy recounted.
Besides selling directly, Ms. An Vy has also opened a sales channel via Zalo, offering delivery everywhere. “Customers enjoy the food and order again, so I ship continuously. Thanks to that, even when the market is quiet, business remains stable.” She employs three workers daily, paying them 250,000 VND each.
The stalls selling fragrant fish sauce attract tourists.
Fermented snakehead fish paste is famous far and wide.
The Tinh Bien border market was built in 1999 and has been operational since February 3, 2002. Located along the Vinh Te canal, it covers an area of 15,414 m², of which more than 6,000 m² is a covered market area with 605 kiosks and stalls. Currently, there are more than 200 regular businesses operating there.
According to Tong Thanh Giang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tinh Bien Ward, the People's Committee regularly coordinates with functional forces to inspect and handle cases of sidewalk encroachment, maintain order in the area around the market, and ensure fire prevention and control. At the same time, they regularly educate traders to comply with regulations, clearly display prices, and behave courteously in buying and selling.
In the first nine months of 2025, Tinh Bien border market welcomed over 252,000 visitors, generating sales of 235 billion VND. The majority of visitors to Tinh Bien market currently come from Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta provinces, and even Cambodian border residents, contributing to the unique and vibrant trading atmosphere of the border region.
Boats carrying rice from Cambodia to Tinh Bien.
Peaceful border region
Leaving the border market and traveling along the Vinh Te canal, we encountered the familiar scene of this border region: boats carrying rice from Cambodia constantly arriving at the docks, locals busily unloading, milling, and then exporting it back to the neighboring country. Alongside this, goods, confectionery, and agricultural products also flowed back and forth across the border in a bustling manner, reflecting the characteristic trade flow of this area.
At noon, we arrived at the Tinh Bien International Border Gate. Although it was past 11 a.m., the flow of tourists and vehicles remained steady. In the first 10 months of 2025, the import-export turnover through the border gate reached over 353 million USD, of which exports accounted for over 234 million USD, an increase of 73.11% compared to the whole year of 2024.
Tịnh Biên International Border Gate.
Following the officers of the Tinh Bien International Border Gate Border Guard Station, we met Captain Chau Vanh Na, a border gate officer, who was diligently guiding Cambodian citizens through the procedures in Khmer. His serious yet friendly demeanor earned him smiles and thanks from every visitor.
“The border gate operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The officers are usually on-site by 5 a.m. to prepare. During peak season, many groups of people travel at lunchtime, so the officers have to take turns eating to ensure the fastest possible processing for the people,” Captain Na shared.
Border guards on patrol routes.
Leaving the border gate, we followed the border patrol road under construction, alongside fields still flooded by the rising water. On the other side of Tinh Bien ward lies Phnum Den commune, Kirivong district, Takeo province (Kingdom of Cambodia). Along each patrol route, the footprints of border guards are firm and persistent, contributing to maintaining peace so that people on both sides can work, live, and trade with peace of mind.
A peaceful scene in the Tịnh Biên border region.
They recounted in detail the 9.94km stretch of border with 4 main markers, 8 auxiliary markers, and 5 boundary posts. They knew the location of each marker, how many fields they had to cross, and how many times they had to wade through floodwaters during the rainy season to reach it. Along with that were memories of nights on high-intensity patrols to prevent crime, smuggling, and illegal entry and exit. There were even unforgettable moments – celebrating New Year's Eve right next to a sovereignty marker.
Along the border roads, we clearly felt that Tinh Bien was not a noisy, peaceful land. The bustling commercial life blended with the quiet presence of soldiers guarding the border day and night, creating a unique charm of this land of compassion and solidarity.
Text and photos: THU OANH
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nhip-song-bien-thuy-a469675.html
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