The war had pass 35 years, in the way of those 3 decades, Huong Hoa district and Khe Sanh, partly speaking has had lots of changes under the leadership of the party and government of Huong Hoa. The land used to be suffering from the terrible war of terribly dense bombs, shells and chemicals have revivified.
Arriving Khe Sanh and Huong Hoa today, one can see the green of immense forest gardens, coffee plantation, pepper, mango, rice field, and emerging formation of a mountain town.
30 years ago, poet Ngo Kha, an active protester in street demonstrations campaign in cities of the south against American and South Vietnamese army’s operations in highway 9 – Khe Sanh front already had a presentiment of:
“We’ll see and obviously see
A golden town on Lao Bao Mountain
A graceful town in Lang Vay path”
Change of the life in Huong Hoa District nowadays:
Nowadays, when coming here, travellers can really see Khe Sanh mountain town of Huong Hoa district on the way of its development.
Lao Bao Township owns a commercial zone with tens of internal and external investment enterprises. Consumption products of high quality with a trademark “Made in Quang Tri” have been delivered to regions in the country.
From the ruins and devastation, from reeds of the desolate mountain, many high stored buildings have emerged, the new town is full of light, and people from different corners come to earn living here. All make “this golden fruit land” bustling and fresh. Spiritual and material lives of minority groups are improved.
Highway 9 – Khe Sanh, an “unhappy road” of French and American in the past is upgraded to be inter-Asia way on the east-west economic corridor in the era of integration and development.
People groups of Van Kieu, Pa Co, Kinh are now again shoulder by shoulder unifying to build a new life and keeping security in the border area in a light of friendship with Laos for a common wealth. The cultural values of Van Kieu and Pa Co people are always reserved and developed and it makes the community cultural life here more various and profound.
Huong Hoa also has Ho Chi Minh highway running along Truong Song mountain range connecting Quang Binh, Khe Sanh Township and Dakrong.
Quang Tri hydroelectric work with a capacity of 64 MW under construction has investment budget of 2.100 billion VND. It produces 218million KW/hour to feed national electric network and export its energy to Laos. This big work is near the vestige of Ta Con airstrip and Dong Tri mountain. The energy produces here will light a dream of having the new life of people not only in the mountain but in the low land area as well, it also will light hamlets and tribes of brother country of Laos.
From here, cool water current will also make rice fields in Quang Tri fresh and ecology, the environment will also be improved accordingly, and life quality of people will be enhanced.
Huong Hoa – Khe Sanh is a destination for travellers to see with many national vestiges like Lao Bao prison, Ta Con airstrip, and other under investigation and restoration like Lang Vay base, Cu Boc and Dong Tri mountains.
On the way of development, although still facing with difficulties and challenges, Huong Hoa party and people determine to well fulfill the orientation, and tasks set up by the congress of all levels, it’s determined to “build Huong Hoa being a model mountainous district” as the former general secretary :e Duan wished when visited the heroic Huong Hoa land.
Quang Tri Management Board of relics and high-interest sights
You may to read more:
Ta Con Quang Tri – “The Earth Hell”