In early September, we had the opportunity to meet with officers and soldiers of the Long Sap International Border Gate Border Guard Station (Border Guard Command, Military Command).Son La provinceThe local militia and some residents of Long Sap commune patrol and protect the border and boundary markers. Ms. Vi Thi Thi, a member of the self-governing group in Bo Sap village, Long Sap commune, shared: “I have participated in patrols with the soldiers many times, so I am familiar with the route. The boundary markers are sacred assets of the nation and the people; therefore, preserving the markers and protecting the border is also about maintaining peace and security for the village.”

Lieutenant Colonel Ha Xuan Nguyen, Commander of the Long Sap International Border Gate Border Guard Station, stated: “Our unit currently manages a border line with 17 national border markers. The area includes 22 villages, of which 9 are border villages with over 9,700 inhabitants belonging to 6 ethnic groups. Despite the vast, mountainous terrain, the border marker system has been preserved in its original state for many years, and the political security, order, and social safety situation remains basically stable. One important reason for this is that the people are increasingly aware of their responsibility in protecting territorial sovereignty, actively participating in patrols, detecting and providing information to the authorities.”

Residents of Long Phieng commune, Son La province, participate in patrolling and protecting the border and national boundary markers.

In the border commune of Long Phieng, the mass movement for self-management of border lines and markers has also developed strongly. On the hillsides covered with the green of plum trees, the lives of the people are increasingly improving. Along with economic development, the people always uphold the awareness of protecting the border lines and markers, considering this a shared responsibility of every citizen. Currently, Long Phieng commune has 6 self-management groups for border lines and markers with more than 500 households participating, directly managing nearly 23km of border line along with 10 national border markers and 1 boundary post.

Since the beginning of the year, self-governing groups, together with the Border Guard force, have organized many patrols, inspections, and border clearing operations, contributing to maintaining territorial sovereignty. Pa Khom village is one of the shining examples of the movement to protect the border and boundary markers in Long Phieng commune. The village's border and boundary marker self-governing group was established in 2016 with 82 members. Monthly, members hold meetings, exchange information, and disseminate regulations on management and protection.borderWhenever there is a planned patrol, the people proactively arrange their family affairs to join the Border Guard in clearing the patrol route, checking border markers, and educating and encouraging people to strictly abide by border regulations.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Cong Luu, Political Officer of Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station, in addition to disseminating legal information, the unit also effectively maintains the "3 close ties, 4 together" model, assigning Party members to be responsible for households and participating in activities at village Party branches to promptly understand the thoughts and aspirations of the people. Through this, the people not only improve their legal awareness but also become an important force in protecting the border and maintaining security and order in the area.

To safeguard national sovereignty and border security, the Son La Provincial Border Guard Command has directed border guard posts to proactively implement comprehensive border defense work, closely monitoring the local situation and border areas. Emphasis is placed on effectively utilizing the role of border and boundary marker self-management groups, as well as security and order self-management groups in villages, promoting public awareness campaigns to ensure strict adherence to the law and active reporting of crimes. Simultaneously, effective border diplomacy is being implemented, with regular information exchange with relevant authorities in Laos, promptly resolving issues related to each side's territorial sovereignty, and supporting each other in economic and social development and combating various types of crime.

From the beginning of 2026 to the present, border guard posts have conducted 22 bilateral patrols, over 200 unilateral patrols, and nearly 900 patrols to control the area. Self-governing groups have provided the Border Guard with dozens of pieces of information related to the protection of sovereignty and border security, contributing to improving the effectiveness of management, protection, and maintaining order and safety in the border area.