Wishing for Suoi Chai

Located at an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters above sea level, Suoi Chai village in Bat Xat commune appears as a tiny dot amidst the vast, undulating mountains. The only road leading to the village winds along the mountain slope, narrow and steep, with sections barely wide enough for two motorbikes to pass each other. On one side is a sheer cliff, on the other a deep abyss. This stretch of road is the biggest "bottleneck," hindering the development of Suoi Chai for many years.

At the end of December 2025, we joined the working group of the Bat Xat Commune Party Committee to travel up the mountain to Suoi Chai to implement the "Digital Village" model. From early morning, at the suspension bridge in Trung Chai village, spanning the Phin Ngan stream – the starting point of the journey to the village – many officials and residents of Suoi Chai were waiting, ready to assist in transporting equipment. After a friendly handshake, Chao Lao San – a young man from the village born in the 1990s – volunteered to take us up to the village.

The initial stretches of road, following the Phìn Ngan stream, are quite picturesque with crystal-clear water, but the higher you go, the steeper the slopes become, with sharp, narrow hairpin bends. The entire Trung Chải - Suối Chải route, nearly 10 km long, is just a 1-meter-wide concrete road. In some sections, even the road and shoulders are less than 3 meters wide, barely enough for two motorbikes to pass each other. On one side is a cold, gray cliff, and on the other a deep abyss, making first-time travelers' hearts race.

San gripped the steering wheel tightly, skillfully navigating curves and climbing slopes with the expertise of someone familiar with the terrain. Today the weather was sunny and dry, making travel relatively easy, but according to San, a heavy rain would almost completely isolate Suoi Chai.

"When it rains, the road becomes slippery, making it impossible for vehicles to pass. After the rain stops, there are landslides and erosion, forcing people to repair sections of the road before they can get down the mountain," San said thoughtfully.

The journey, less than 10 kilometers long, took us almost an hour to reach the village center. This arduous route has kept the lives of the people of Suoi Chai almost completely isolated for many years. Transporting goods, accessing healthcare and education , and handling administrative procedures are all extremely difficult. Besides about twenty households concentrated in the village center, most of the remaining households are scattered along the forest edge, near the mountain streams.

Mr. Chảo Củi Phú, Secretary of the Party Branch of Suối Chải village, said: “The village has 86 households, 100% of which are ethnic minorities, and the poverty rate is 75%. The reason for the high poverty rate is partly due to harsh natural conditions, dilapidated infrastructure, especially transportation.”

In recent years, thanks to the attention of the Party, the State, and the province, Suoi Chai has seen initial changes. The national power grid has been extended to the village, and 4G mobile phone coverage extends throughout, helping people gradually access information and the internet. The people's production mindset has also gradually changed. The entire village currently has about 20 households raising livestock, more than 10 households engaged in production forestry; some households have boldly experimented with raising cold-water fish, which has initially shown effectiveness, opening up a new direction for economic development suitable to the highland climate.

Overcoming difficulties and obstacles, Tan Lao San and many young people in the village are seeking new directions. Currently, San has experimented with raising bamboo rats, yielding promising results with the animals growing well and experiencing few diseases. Next year, he plans to plant lemons for sale on the market.

"Because of the difficult transportation conditions, I chose a suitable model and products that are easy to transport," San shared.

Along with economic development, education in Suoi Chai has also received attention. The preschool and primary school have been invested in and built to a high standard. Ms. Ha Thi Ben, Principal of Phin Ngan Preschool, said that despite the difficult journey to school, the attendance rate remains high. Parents are increasingly understanding the importance of education and strive to send their children to school regularly. The regular attention and encouragement from the commune leaders is also a great source of motivation for teachers to confidently stay in the village.”

According to the Party Secretary of Chảo Củi Phú, with the support of the State and the consensus in land donation and labor contribution from the people, the road connecting to Lò Suối Tủng village is currently being newly constructed. At the same time, the village continues to propose investment in upgrading and expanding the Suối Chải - Trung Chải road, an important transportation artery serving travel, goods transportation, and production connectivity.

While awaiting the opening of new transportation routes, Suoi Chai today welcomes another special "road." Because the village cultural center is under construction, the village has temporarily used a classroom at Suoi Chai Primary School to install equipment and implement the "Digital Village" model.

Reportedly, Suoi Chai is the 7th village in Bat Xat commune to implement this model. The launch took place amidst high expectations from local officials and residents. For the first time, the Suoi Chai village's online connection point was established with the commune's Party Committee and other villages. While the villagers were initially hesitant, their eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement as they heard the voices of their loved ones through the screen. From here, the people of Suoi Chai can receive support in resolving public administrative procedures online right in their village, gradually becoming familiar with digital conveniences. The village Party branch will implement an electronic Party member handbook, organize online meetings and activities when necessary. At the same time, villagers can also learn from the production experiences of more economically developed areas through online exchanges. Digital transformation, once very unfamiliar to this remote highland village, is now gradually becoming a reality right before the eyes of the villagers.

Sharing in the joy with the people, Comrade Vu Hong Phuong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Bat Xat commune, emphasized: “Suoi Chai is one of the most difficult villages in the commune, with challenging transportation conditions and many difficulties in people's lives. Implementing the “Digital Village” model not only brings technology to the village, but more importantly, opens a “new path” for the highlanders to gradually narrow the gap with the lowlands. We understand that when transportation routes cannot be expanded soon, the “digital road” is the practical direction to take in the current period.”

Suoi Chai's hopes today are further strengthened by the "numbered road," so that one day, along with concrete roads, this remote highland village will be connected to the lowlands, bringing Suoi Chai into harmony with the overall development of Bat Xat commune.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/uoc-mong-suoi-chai-post891247.html