Preserving the first flag at A Pa Chai flagpole after 56 days of hanging

On the morning of July 1, at the A Pa Chai flagpole - the sacred border junction of the Fatherland in Sin Thau commune, the Border Guard Command of Dien Bien province coordinated with the Party Committee, government and people of all ethnic groups in the area to organize a ceremony to lower the national flag, preserving the first flag ever flown here.

This is a very special event, taking place on the day Sin Thau commune officially switched to operating under a two-level local government model (province - district). Colonel Nguyen Van Boi - Deputy Commander of the Dien Bien Provincial Border Guard attended and directly directed the ceremony of lowering the old flag and raising the new flag at the flagpole.

Sin Thau Commune authorities and Border Guard forces perform the flag-saluting ceremony. (Photo: Duy Linh)

A Pa Chai Flagpole was inaugurated on May 7, 2025 in Sin Thau Commune, Muong Nhe District (Dien Bien Province), on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory. The project was built on the top of a mountain in the Khoang La San range, at an altitude of 1,459 m above sea level, about 1,387 m from "marker 0" - the intersection of the Vietnam - Laos - China borders. The flagpole is 45.19 m high, octagonal in design, with a flag measuring 37.5 m² (7.5 × 5 m), symbolizing the historical milestone of May 7, 1954.

A Pa Cha flagpole. (Photo: Duy Linh)

On top of the column is a relief “Uncle Ho with the ethnic groups of the Northwest”, the base of the column is decorated with five relief clusters showing the cultural characteristics of the Northwest such as: legends, festivals, traditional crafts, folk songs - folk dances and national solidarity. The road up to the flagpole has 519 stone steps, symbolizing the 19 ethnic groups living in Dien Bien. The project was built from November 2023, with a total investment of 31 billion VND from socialized sources, invested by the Provincial Border Guard Command.

Performing the flag raising ceremony. (Photo: Duy Linh)

After the handover, A Pa Chai Border Guard Station will receive, organize ceremonies, protect and coordinate with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local authorities in propaganda, hygiene maintenance, security and tourism exploitation. This is not only a symbol of sovereignty in the far west of the country, but also a "red address" for traditional education, contributing to promoting tourism and socio-economic development in the border area.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/luu-giu-la-co-dau-tien-tai-cot-co-a-pa-chai-sau-56-ngay-treo-214565.html