Vietnam’s Long Thanh airport faces uphill battle to open on time

Vietnam's upcoming Long Thanh International Airport is facing major obstacles in its pursuit to open by December, with the government ordering round-the-clock construction to keep the project on track. The ambitious project, valued at 336.63 trillion dong (US$13 billion), aims to alleviate congestion at the busy Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City and enhance regional connectivity.

However, the ambitious timeline is proving challenging due to labor and material shortages, payment delays, and escalating costs. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc expressed concern over the significant work remaining and the limited time left to complete the first phase of the airport's construction, which must be operational this year.

Despite being a key infrastructure project and a cornerstone for Vietnam's growth ambitions, the airport's progress has been hindered by delays, a procurement scandal involving several executives, and missed deadlines. In June, hundreds of soldiers were deployed to address a shortage of construction workers. The airport, spanning over 5,000 hectares in Dong Nai province, is scheduled to have three phases, four runways, and a capacity for 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo annually.

The project's main investor, Airports Corporation of Vietnam, is required to resolve payment issues by the end of this month, and contractors failing to meet requirements for labor, equipment, or financing may face penalties. The government has also demanded that Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai authorities promptly address land clearance and technical infrastructure issues by the end of the month.