The story of “Founding Hero” of Thung Nham
- May 7, 2025
Looking back at a year of Tan Suu with many changes gradually coming to an end, let’s have a cup of tea together and tell each other the story of a very special buffalo…
Our ancestors often say: “The buffalo is the beginning of the career”. It is not by chance that “buying a buffalo” is placed before “getting married” and “building a house” when talking about important events in a man’s life.
At Thung Nham Eco-tourism Zone, there is an old buffalo that has been here for two decades, silently witnessing the ups and downs of change and the glory of this place. The buffalo has been a companion since the early days of pioneering and is also a testament to the tireless efforts of the owner who built this Thung Nham.
Having the honor of meeting and talking with Mr. Pham Cong Chat – Director of Doanh Sinh Company – the person who pioneered and developed Thung Nham to this day, I could not help but be impressed by his dignified demeanor and his decisive, intelligent eyes, but still with a touch of humor. In a story on a late afternoon, he told me about the buffalo that had followed him for more than 20 years of starting and establishing a business. He said that those days were very difficult…
In 1999, he brought this buffalo to reclaim land, leading the way into the mountainous valley of Hai Nham village, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu city – today’s Thung Nham. At that time, he was struggling to build a large-scale farm, providing clean, safe and high-quality products. In difficult terrain conditions, without machinery and equipment, this buffalo pulled each cart of soil, helped level the land, open roads, and open fields for cultivation. It was also this buffalo that made the first plowing lines, sowing seeds of hope with him. Just like that, Thung Nham, the predecessor of a comprehensive farm model, gradually took shape.
There is a very special story about this buffalo that to this day, the workers who have been with him from the beginning still tell. They say that this buffalo is very wise and has emotions like humans. Every morning, the buffalo knows how to use its strong horns to lift the plow onto its shoulders to pull it to work without needing a human to put it on. Or every time it goes uphill or reaches a rough road, the smart buffalo knows how to stop and gain momentum from afar. The rare intelligence of the buffalo makes everyone at that time feel pleasantly surprised. The buffalo is like everyone’s right-hand man, always working hard and diligently. Even more special, every time it is too tired, it will kneel on its two front legs, its head continuously nodding to the ground, like a human bowing, meaning that it is tired and asking to rest. Since then, the owner, Mr. Pham Cong Chat, has always respected the buffalo, considering it a companion who works side by side with him. One day, by chance, following the flood water, he discovered an area where many types of birds, storks, herons… come to nest and live naturally. The scenery here is wild and peaceful. With a heart of love for nature and a sense of preserving the ecological environment inherent in the hearts of Ninh Binh people, he immediately decided to preserve this area, banning all hunting activities and impacts on birds, storks, herons… here. Good land attracts birds, birds are given good conditions, flocks of birds come here to live in larger numbers, build nests, give birth… Realizing the potential and rare beauty of mountains and rivers, he always wondered how to share this wonderful scenery and fresh air with many people while still preserving the natural environment.
Over time, his farm model encountered many difficulties because the low-lying terrain was prone to flooding, many consecutive seasons of low crop yields, sometimes even total losses, combined with the isolation and traffic barriers, which sometimes discouraged him. However, like a persistent buffalo, only resting to regain strength but refusing to give up, all challenges were gradually conquered and overcome by his will, and his business became more and more promising.
Just like that, Thung Nham Eco-tourism Zone was established and officially launched in 2014. With the orientation of becoming a comprehensive eco-tourism area, Thung Nham is like a tropical symphony, bringing visitors back to the absolutely pure nature to take care of their health and regenerate their energy.
Since then, Thung Nham has carried the mission of strong development – development combined with conservation.
The old year tells old stories, the year of the buffalo listens to the story of the old buffalo associated with the resilient career of the devoted owner, so that we can appreciate and admire his passionate heart for nature and the environment./.
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