Over the past years, development triangles have tended to be formed among national borders in order to take advantage of the ability to exploit flows of goods, labor and capital by using additional production factors from neighboring nations. At present, in the Southeast Asia, some development triangles have been formed and operated, typically Indonesia - Malaysia – Singapore development triangle; Indonesia - Malaysia – Thailand development triangle; Brunei - Indonesia - Malaysia – Philippines development territory.
In order to consolidate and reinforce the solidarity and cooperation among three countries Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, at the meeting between three ministers of three countries in January 2002 and February 2009 in Ho Chi Minh City, the idea of a Development triangle in the border area of three countries including three provinces in the Northeast Cambodia, three provinces in the South Laos and four provinces in the Central Highland Vietnam was formed and became one of the top priorities in the development cooperation between three countries Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia. Though approved for three years only, with the consideration of three countries, the border development master plan of three countries has been gradually deployed and achieved initial encouraging results, especially in the investment in the research on the issues related to ethnical, religious and cultural aspects. To enable the readers to have more detailed information on this issue, we are honored to introduce the book entitled Ethnical, religious and cultural aspects in Vietnam - Laos – Cambodia Development Triangle, including 280 pages, sized 14.5 x 20.5 cm, printed and legally copyrighted in March 2010. The book is the result of investigations and researches by the Prof. Dr. Pham Duc Thanh and Dr. Vu Cong Quy together with some other scientists of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in many years. The book is targeted at clarifying ethnical and religious aspects, thereby clarifying connotation of physical and nonphysical culture of ethnic groups in Vietnam - Laos – Cambodia Development Triangle.
Apart from the Foreword and the Conclusion, the book content is divided into the following chapters:
Chapter I: Some issues on Vietnam - Laos – Cambodia Development Triangle;
Chapter II: Ethnical, religious and cultural aspects in four provinces in the Central Highland Vietnam;
Chapter III: Ethnical, religious and cultural aspects in three provinces in the South Laos;
Chapter IV: Ethnical, religious and cultural aspects in three provinces in the Northeast Cambodia;
Chapter V: Similarities and differences in the ethnical, religious and cultural characteristics in the development triangle.
Ha Vinh
