Tay Ninh (VNA) – Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to extend the implementation of their bilateral Road Transport Agreement and related protocols to the Tan Nam (Tay Ninh, Vietnam) –Meun Chey (Prey Veng, Cambodia) border gate pair, a move expected to strengthen cross-border transport and trade.
At a bilateral meeting on July 14, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Tay Ninh People's Committee Nguyen Hong Thanh said applying the agreement to the international border gate pair is key to lowering logistics costs, boosting competitiveness, expanding market access, attracting investment and fostering socio-economic development in both countries.
He also urged Cambodia's Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Vietnam's Ministry of Construction to coordinate the upgrade and expansion of the Tan Nam–Meun Chey Friendship Bridge in line with the directions of the two Prime Ministers.
Cambodian Deputy Secretary of State at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Ben Boran said effective implementation of the agreement would create new opportunities for businesses and people in both countries. He reaffirmed Cambodia's commitment to working closely with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities to complete the necessary mechanisms and ensure efficient cross-border transport.
Phan Thi Thu Hien, Deputy Director of the Department for Roads of Vietnam, said following its upgrade, Tan Nam–Meun Chey has operated under the same international road transport framework as other Vietnam–Cambodia international border gate pairs, providing a clear legal basis for cross-border vehicle movement.
At the meeting, representatives of the Department for Roads of Vietnam and Cambodia's Ministry of Public Works and Transport reached a common interpretation of Clause 2, Article 3 of the protocol amending the protocol for the implementation of the agreement, which serves as the legal basis for applying the agreement to all international border crossings between the two countries, including Tan Nam–Meun Chey.
They also agreed to place proposed revisions to the implementation protocol on the agenda of the annual road transport conference between the two ministries, scheduled for August 2026, to further strengthen the legal framework for bilateral road transport.
On transport infrastructure, Vietnam announced plans to fund the construction, upgrading and expansion of the Tan Nam–Meun Chey Friendship Bridge. Both sides agreed to urge the Tay Ninh People's Committee and the Prey Veng provincial Administration to expedite procedures with the goal of breaking ground in 2026, paving the way for better transport connectivity, stronger border trade and deeper Vietnam–Cambodia cooperation.
The Tan Nam–Meun Chey border gate pair began operating at the provincial level in 2021 before being officially inaugurated as an international crossing on December 8, 2025.
Trade through the crossing has shown strong potential. In 2025, trade between Tay Ninh and Cambodia reached 3.19 billion USD, accounting for 28.1% of total Vietnam–Cambodia trade. Tan Nam–Meun Chey handled more than 139 million USD in goods, along with about 10,000 vehicle crossings and 9,000 passenger movements.
Momentum continued into the first half of 2026, with trade via the border gates jumping 86% year-on-year to around 54 million USD. Passenger traffic soared 335% to approximately 17,000 crossings, while 4,719 vehicles crossed the border. Tay Ninh authorities expect cargo and passenger flows to keep rising, contributing to the goal of lifting trade between the two countries to 20 billion USD by 2030.
To accommodate growing demand, Tay Ninh is upgrading roads connecting the Tan Nam border gate with National Highway 22B and developing the Go Dau–Xa Mat Expressway, which will link to the Ho Chi Minh City–Moc Bai Expressway.
However, because the Tan Nam–Meun Chey border gate pair has yet to fully adopt all mechanisms under the Vietnam–Cambodia Road Transport Agreement and its related protocols, freight transport between the two countries remains restricted. Most goods are still moved through same-day deliveries or transshipment at the border under arrangements between Tay Ninh and Prey Veng provinces./.
VNA
