A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the degree of Master of Science

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2000

Vietnam is an agricultural country. The rural area occupies the larger proportion of total area. Agricultural production is important for economic development of the country. The rural centers always play an important role in development and influence directly to activities in rural area. In the liberated market system, the production of rural area is changed, and needs to be operated in more active and intensive ways. The change has impacted deeply on the structure of inter-commune centers, which is not an administrative unit, but is one of three-tiered hierarchy of service centers in the district. The formation of inter-commune center depend much on their service functions for local development. At present, the development of inter-commune centers is very much disordered. A clear perception and understanding is necessary defining their roles for local development. The Rural-Regional Planning method and techniques such as interview, RRA, key informant survey, secondary data analysis, identification of growth center, road accessibility analysis, regionalization and other techniques are used to analyze the existing socio-economic situation, assess service needs, rank settlements, determine functional gaps with served and unserved areas, and population. A spatial development plan of inter-commune centers with functions is prepared. The plan is meant to provide support services in order to meet service needs for local development between district and commune levels. Through this study, a strategy of inter-commune center for providing support services to promote rural production and local development are accomplished. It is manifested through the method and criteria for identification and selection of inter-commune centers for local development. In identification and selection of inter-commune centers, the factor of local peoples' needs play core role. Higher centrality of settlement, served and unserved areas, and population are basis criteria for identification and selection. Development possibility of commune is also added for more accuracy of selection. The concentrated distribution of functions favors development of inter-commune centers. The situation of two inter-commune centers closely spaced to each other should be avoided. The development of service functions should be on trial basis before final execution.