Long Thanh Airport: A testament to the spirit of “nothing is impossible” (Final Part)

FINAL PART: AFFIRMING VIETNAM'S RESOLVE

At the beginning of August 2025, during his eighth on-site inspection of the Long Thanh International Airport project, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the completion and early operation of the project carries profound significance. It affirms the determination and confidence of all stakeholders in overcoming difficulties and challenges; demonstrates the growing capacity of the Ministry of Construction (MoC), the project management board, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), investors, contractors and consultants; enhances investment efficiency; creates jobs and livelihoods for local people; promotes growth; and embodies the message that “nothing is impossible” when there is resolve and an effective way of doing things.

After nearly five years of construction, Phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport is scheduled to be inaugurated on December 19, 2025. Photo: Pham Tung.

“Sweet fruits” from synchronized coordination

To carry out land clearance for the Long Thanh Airport project, Dong Nai planned two resettlement areas for affected households, including the Loc An – Binh Son resettlement area and Sub-area III of the Binh Son resettlement zone. However, during implementation, many households originally registered for relocation to Sub-area III expressed their wish to be resettled in Loc An – Binh Son resettlement area instead. Recognizing this legitimate need, the province proposed that the Central government allow adjustments to the Loc An – Binh Son resettlement zone planning so that all affected households from the Long Thanh Airport project and the two connecting roads could be resettled there.

After receiving approval from the National Assembly and the Government, Dong Nai identified the demand and land area for arranging resettlement at Loc An – Binh Son resettlement zone and proactively adjusted the detailed planning. Accordingly, the number of residential lots increased from 5,002 to 7,035, ensuring adequate allocation for households wishing to relocate from Sub-area III, Binh Son resettlement zone as well as from the two airport connecting roads T1 and T2 to this resettlement zone.

ACV has submitted a proposal to the Government, the Ministry of Finance and the MoC requesting approval to immediately commence construction of the third runway and Phase 2 of the Long Thanh Airport project in accordance with legal regulations.

 

According to Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial National Assembly delegation Vu Hong Van, Dong Nai with the highest political determination has completed compensation and support for more than 7,200 households and 18 organizations whose land was acquired for the project. The province also arranged resettlement for 5,793 households and handed over 100% of the cleared land, covering about 5,000 hectares, to the investor.

In May 2025, right after construction began on the second runway of Long Thanh airport, demand for construction stone for Phase 1 of the Long Thanh airport project increased by about 0.6 million cubic meters compared to initial estimates. In response, the MoC and ACV requested Dong Nai People’s Committee to consider supplying additional materials. Given the urgency, the Provincial People’s Committee instructed relevant agencies to review and allocate additional stone sources from local quarries. Within less than two months, the supplementary allocation was completed, ensuring sufficient materials for the project to stay on schedule.

As the largest construction project in Vietnam’s history, with strict technical and aesthetic requirements, Long Thanh Airport demands exceptionally close coordination among units to avoid conflicts during construction. Therefore, the early completion of the project is a vivid testament to synchronized leadership and seamless cooperation on site.

In reality, the project’s rapid progress reflects the “sweet fruits” of cohesion from central to local levels, from investors to contractors in terms of both land clearance and construction activities.

In March 2025, during his seventh field inspection trip, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh commended Dong Nai for completing site clearance, which laid the foundation for contractors to increase manpower, accelerate construction and shorten the project timeline.

During the inspection and working session on November 13, 2025, Party General Secretary To Lam assessed that project implementation has been effective, with many components meeting planned progress. Party General Secretary expressed confidence that, under the leadership of the Party, the decisive direction of the Government, and the coordinated efforts of ministries, localities, enterprises and tens of thousands of workers, Phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport will be completed on schedule with international quality, absolute safety, and will become a symbol of a modern, dynamic and sustainably developing Vietnam.

Long Thanh Airport – A “century push” for development

With its scale, technology and strategic vision, Long Thanh Airport is not only a key national infrastructure project but also a symbol of Vietnam’s aspiration to become a new aviation hub in Southeast Asia.

According to Party General Secretary To Lam, Long Thanh Airport embodies the country’s development ambition and is a national priority project with massive investment and capacity. Once completed, the airport will elevate Vietnam into one of the leading regional air transit hubs in the Asia–Pacific region. To maximize the airport’s effectiveness, Party General Secretary emphasized the need for clear strategic orientation and focused tasks.

Specifically, Vietnam must assess its competitiveness globally and regionally. Ministries, sectors and investors need to jointly develop a set of criteria to evaluate the airport’s competitiveness, particularly in three areas: service quality and passenger experience; productivity and operational efficiency; and connectivity and transfer capability within the regional aviation network. The objective is to make Long Thanh Airport one of the most attractive aviation gateways in Southeast Asia, on par with, and surpassing, leading airports.

With a determination to basically complete Phase 1 of Long Thanh Airport project by December 19, 2025 and begin commercial operations in early 2026, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged ministries, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai, investors, contractors, consultants, engineers and workers to elevate their effort, focus and determination in implementing the Prime Minister’s directives and complete all tasks to the highest standard.

 

The MoC, the Ministry of Finance and ACV continue evaluating the overall effectiveness of the project, not only financially but also in terms of economic, social, environmental, national defense and security benefits. Development must be synchronized, regionally connected and accompanied by the establishment of a new aviation ecosystem around the airport. Long Thanh Airport will only realize its full potential when transportation systems, services, urban development, tourism and logistics are modernized and integrated. Multi-modal connectivity, especially between Ho Chi Minh City and Long Thanh, must be developed. A modern aviation service ecosystem, including accommodation, hotels and convention centers, should be built synchronously, moving towards establishing “Long Thanh Airport City,” as a leading logistics and services hub in Southeast Asia.

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics and member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Group, commented that Long Thanh Airport carries a major mission: connecting Vietnam to the world and reshaping the nation’s development position. It offers enormous opportunities for national breakthroughs and provides momentum for the Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan region. With Long Thanh Airport, Vietnam gains a new “coordinate” to compete internationally and elevate its development standing.

For Dong Nai, Long Thanh Airport is identified as the “core driver” of the province’s future socio-economic development. The Resolution of the 1st Dong Nai Provincial Party Congress, for the 2025–2030 term,  sets the goal of making the province a national leader in aviation economy, high-tech industry, high-tech agriculture, logistics, science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. Long Thanh Airport plays a pivotal role in achieving this vision.

According to Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee (PPC) Vo Tan Duc, the airport will “open the sky,” for this place to become a regional transit hub connecting Dong Nai to the world. Long Thanh Airport is one of the 16 most anticipated airports globally and is expected to contribute 3–5% of Vietnam’s annual GDP growth once operational.

To maximize project benefits, Dong Nai aims to make Long Thanh Airport the central catalyst for breakthrough development, transforming the province into a major transportation and logistics hub. The province will also leverage air economic potential and attract high-tech industries and innovation.

“Dong Nai has carried out key tasks such as developing the planning for the Long Thanh Airport region, building connecting transport system, planning logistics system for the area of the airport region to create strong momentum for both the province and the southern key economic region,” Deputy Secretary of the PPC Vo Tan Duc noted.

Long Thanh commune, where the airport is located, is also accelerating preparations of necessary conditions to anticipate development opportunities once the project enters its official operation. Le Hoang Son, Chairman of the Long Thanh commune People’s Committee, said one of the commune’s breakthrough priorities in the new term is focusing on synchronizing and modernizing interregional connectivity transport infrastructure and developing urban and commercial-service zones around the airport, aiming to become an urban center with sustainable development.

Dr. Tran Du Lich, Member of the National Monetary Policy Advisory Council and Member of the Provincial Socio-economic Advisory Group, stated that when Dong Nai is able to build a free trade zone linked with Long Thanh Airport and the Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port complex, this will help the province integrate into global value chains in all aspects from production, trade, to logistics and finance, among others.

By Pham Tung – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha