A Thai dance performance at the cultural and sports festival of ethnic groups in Pac Nga commune.

Following the merger of the former communes Chim Van and Pac Nga, the newly established commune has over 83% of its population belonging to the Thai ethnic group, living along Da river reservoir.

In Pac Nga, visitors can admire the beauty of the Da River during the flood season, experience fishing on the river, or explore the rice fields of Buoc and Lum Thuong hamlets. They can also go into the forest to collect bamboo shoots and wild vegetables, wade through streams to collect moss, and together prepare traditional dishes seasoned with natural local ingredients, such as grilled fish, salads, sour fish soup,  various forest vegetable dishes; sweet pineapples and red-ant mangoes. Alongside the cuisine, tourists can immerse themselves in local folk songs and dances, including lively xoe and sap dances.

At the beginning of 2026, the People’s Committee of Pac Nga commune held a cultural and sports festival for ethnic groups, offering a chance for locals to meet each other, and honour and promote the commune’s cultural heritage.

Amid the lively festival atmosphere, the melodious Thai folk songs resonated across the stage, performed by artisans and key community performers. Simple lyrics such as “ha... oi,” “xai panh ha oi,” “ha oi panh oi,” and “panh a panh oi” evoked the love for and pride in the community’s traditional culture.

Vi Thi Tien, one of the commune’s dedicated community art contributors, shared that like many elders in the hamlet, she remains deeply committed to passing down Thai folk songs to younger generations. On weekends, her home fills with the lively voices of children practicing singing. She said she hopes that as they grow up, they will always take pride in and never forget their cultural roots.

Thai women in Pac Nga display graceful charm in traditional attire.

To create a breakthrough in “developing tourism in tandem with preserving and promoting indigenous traditional cultural values,” the authorities of Pac Nga commune have stepped up dissemination of the Party’s directives and resolutions, as well as the State’s policies and laws on safeguarding and promoting the traditional cultural values of ethnic groups.

At the same time, they have developed plans, placing cultural preservation among key priorities and implementing practical solutions for the new phase.

The commune has effectively mobilised social resources to organise cultural, artistic and sports activities, while investing in facilities and improving the performance of hamlet-level cultural institutions.

It has also established folk culture clubs; organised activities to preserve and pass on ethnic groups' languages, folk songs, dances and traditional crafts; and maintained and revived festivals such as Xen ban, Xen muong, The new rice celebration... These efforts help promote the image, culture and people of the locality in connection with tourism development.

Now, all 16 hamlets in the commune have cultural houses with halls equipped with stages, sound systems and supporting facilities, basically meeting the needs for community activities, rehearsals, performances and meetings. The commune has 16 community art teams and two cultural clubs in Cai B and Van hamlets, each with 10–15 members, regularly performing at holidays, festivals and local political and cultural events.

The Xen ban and Xen muong festival of the Thai ethnic group is held annually in Pac Nga commune.

Vu Ngoc Tam, Vice Chairman of the commune People’s Committee, said the commune has successfully organised the third Xen ban and Xen muong festival at the Bo Hoi water source area in Buoc hamlet.

This folk ritual, rich in spiritual elements, reflects the traditional cultural beauty of the Thai ethnic group in Pac Nga. It also provides an opportunity for the community to meet and strengthen solidarity among hamlets and clans, while contributing to the preservation and promotion of ethnic cultural heritage.

In addition, the commune regularly organises cultural and artistic activities, as well as cultural events linked to tourism development and the trading of local agricultural products. These activities help improve the spiritual well-being of residents, strengthen awareness of building a cultural life at the grassroots level, reinforce great national unity, introduce and promote the locality’s culture and development potential.

Civil servants in Pac Nga commune wear traditional attire in the office on every Monday morning.

To date, 100% of hamlets in Pac Nga commune have established conventions and community regulations; 10 out of 16 hamlets have been recognised as cultural ones and 67% of households have earned the title of “cultural family.” Cultural, artistic and sports movements have developed strongly, with all 16 hamlets having community art troupes as well as volleyball and football teams. The spiritual life of residents has been continously improved, and great national unity has been further strengthened.

The lives of ethnic communities in Pac Nga commune are changing every day. Local people are increasingly aware of the value of traditional cultural practices and are determined to preserve them.

With the attention and support of local authorities, the Thai ethnic community has been working together to protect their cultural identity, while educating younger generations to appreciate, take pride in and carry forward the valuable heritage of their ancestors, turning traditional culture into a driving force for the development of their homeland.