Traffic roads in Son La province during the French colonial period

Abstract

Research on Vietnamese transportation in history has attracted attentions of a significant number of researchers. Some of their works have initially studied the provincial transportation system in Vietnam during the French colonial period, including those in the Son La province. However, up to now there has not been a specific and systematic study on traffic roads in Son La province during the first half of the twentieth century. This article will focus on clarifying the process of opening and upgrading the transportation routes that connected Son La with other Northwestern provinces, the Red River Delta, Northern Laos, including some intra-provincial routes. Based on that ground, the author will evaluate and explain the changes and impacts of the traffic roads on economic and social development of the Son La province in comparing to the precolonial period.