The Village of Thanh Cong

The village of Thanh Cong is typical of newer communities in the fertile plains of the northern parts of Vietnam. It is approximately 40 kilometres south of its Provincial capital Thanh Hoa, and some 5 kilometres west of Highway One. The soil is light and reasonably rich, and with the hills to one side, and the sea some 10 kilometres to the other, there is a little air movement - anyway more than further north. The newness of the village is, like too much in Vietnam, due to the American hostilities. The people from the old village were moved for safety from the bombing to this present position. The land is shared out in patches, as it was in the UK before the enclosures. Each family has some good patches, and some poorer ones; also around each house is a plot of an acre or so for vegetables, and often a fish pond. In this village of some 800 people there is no machinery except for motor bikes and water pumps, all work being done by people with animals, the resulting populated tranquility is therapeutic - for those not involved in working in the heat!

April 2011

Modern concrete house
Modern concrete house
Modern concrete house
Concrete is used in huge quantities in modern Vietnam. Most ordinary Viet houses built since 1990 have been constructed from it. Older houses like the one shown in the following image are now the exception even out in the countryside where all the materials needed are to hand and the insulation properties are far superior to the oven like structures concrete produces. Vegetable garden
Vegetable garden
Vegetable garden Garden and house with bananas
Garden and house with bananas
Garden and house with bananas Thatched barn for cows and pigs
Thatched barn for cows and pigs
Thatched barn for cows and pigs The Woman's Hat - very practical
The Woman's Hat - very practical
The Woman's Hat - very practical The Use of Panniers for field work
Use of Panniers for field work
Use of Panniers for field work

The field plots are all within a couple of kilometres of the houses - although two kilometres in the heat, especially once out of the protection of the trees, is not a pleasant prospect. Path from the village houses to the fields Path from the village houses to the fields Path from the village houses to the fields The transport to work
The transport to work
The transport to work Cows are for ploughing + eating
Cows are for ploughing + eating
Cows are for ploughing + eating

Cows and Buffalo are both used for ploughing, and although both are bred for work and their meat they also seem to have also been selected for their soft eyed beauty and gentleness. Of the two the buffalo are the larger and stronger. Grazing Buffalo
Grazing Buffalo
Grazing Buffalo Field ready for winter crop
Field ready for winter crop
Field ready for winter crop The Lake by the Village
The Lake by the Village
The Lake by the Village


Beyond the fields are the hills and areas of semi-cultivated land, often with fast growing eucalyptus planted for firewod. Areas of wild ground lie nearby
Areas of wild ground lie nearby
Areas of wild ground lie nearby Rubber-like gum from a local tree Rubber-like gum from a local tree Rubber-like gum from a local tree Transporting wood
Transporting wood
Transporting wood Hooked matchet for all jobs
Hooked matchet for all jobs
Hooked matchet for all jobs

There is a general use of the matchet for a range of purposes from felling trees through to this intricate work of making bamboo ties each of which is only a couple of millimetres wide. Matchet as delicate instrument
Matchet as delicate instrument
Matchet as delicate instrument Large rice store
Large rice store
Large rice store Detail of pottery work on store
Detail of pottery work on store
Detail of pottery work on store


The staple crop is rice, which can be grown twice a year, although it is often altrnated with an alternative crop such as ground nuts. It keeps well in storage for several months. Houses are surrounded by many forms of food - some less palatable to the western taste than others. Puppy: culinary breed
Puppy: culinary breed
Puppy: culinary breed Pigeons taking rice
Pigeons taking rice
Pigeons taking rice More familiar food
More familiar food
More familiar food


Ancestors are normally buried near or in the fields where the next generation works. So everywhere you drive passing fields you also see the tombs of the families in groups among the fields. Tombs in the neighbouring woods
Tombs in the neighbouring woods
Tombs in the neighbouring woods