Elevating Vietnam-Thailand relations to a new level.

On the occasion of the official visit of General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, to Thailand from May 27-29, 2026, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand, Pham Viet Hung, gave an interview to Vietnamese journalists based in Thailand about the visit.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung. (Photo: Xuan Son)

Reporter: Ambassador Pham Viet Hung, could you please tell us about the significance of this official visit by General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, to Thailand?

Ambassador Pham Viet Hung: At the invitation of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of the Kingdom of Thailand, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam , President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level delegation of the Vietnamese Party and State, will pay an official visit to Thailand from May 27-29, 2026.

This visit is of paramount importance and historical significance, marking the first official visit of the General Secretary and President of Vietnam to Thailand. Thailand is also the first stop on this ASEAN tour, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (August 6, 1976 - August 6, 2026). Over the past 50 years, the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand have been strengthened, developed rapidly, and deepened qualitatively across all fields, from political and diplomatic relations, security and defense, economic cooperation, tourism, culture, education, to people-to-people exchanges.

This official visit to Thailand by our General Secretary and President will be a crucial opportunity for the top leaders of both countries to reflect on the past 50 years, create new momentum, and open up a broader and higher-level space for cooperation between the two countries to develop more strongly and effectively, commensurate with the potential and position of both countries, bringing better benefits to the people of both countries and making a positive and responsible contribution to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung (right) answers questions from a reporter of Nhan Dan Newspaper based in Thailand. (Photo: MINH THANG)

Reporter: Ambassador, could you give an assessment of the relationship between Vietnam and Thailand over the past half-century, particularly in the recent period of development?

Ambassador Pham Viet Hung: Over the years, the Vietnam-Thailand relationship has continuously developed and been upgraded from a Strategic Partnership to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership and then to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2025).

During this process, the two countries have built and increasingly strengthened mutual understanding and trust at a high level through maintaining regular visits and contacts at all levels, including the Party, Parliament, Government, local authorities, businesses, and people-to-people exchanges. Leaders of the two countries not only exchange official visits but also frequently meet on the sidelines of regional and international forums. In addition, nearly 10 bilateral cooperation mechanisms are being effectively maintained, covering most important areas of cooperation.

Defense and security cooperation continues to be one of the important pillars of bilateral relations and is increasingly deepening. Both sides effectively maintain the Deputy Defense Minister-level Defense Policy Dialogue mechanism, regularly exchange high-level delegations, and strengthen cooperation between military branches and specialized working groups. The close coordination between the two countries not only contributes to consolidating strategic trust but also makes a positive contribution to peace, stability, and security in the region.

In the economic sphere, trade continues to be a prominent highlight. Thailand is currently Vietnam's largest trading partner in ASEAN, while Vietnam is Thailand's second-largest trading partner within the bloc. Total bilateral import and export turnover is projected to reach US$22.08 billion in 2025, a 9% increase compared to 2024. Regarding investment, Thailand currently ranks 8th among 153 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 797 active projects and a total registered capital of approximately US$15.4 billion. This demonstrates the confidence of the Thai business community in Vietnam's investment and business environment, as well as the significant potential for economic cooperation between the two countries.

Besides political and economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation are also noteworthy highlights in Vietnam-Thailand relations. Both sides regularly organize cultural, artistic, and sports exchanges, delegation exchanges, and promote connections between localities. To date, 20 pairs of provinces and cities from the two countries have signed cooperation agreements or established sister city relationships. Tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges are thriving, with approximately 1 million Vietnamese tourists visiting Thailand annually, while the number of Thai tourists visiting Vietnam reaches around 400,000-500,000. These regular exchanges not only promote tourism and economic cooperation but also contribute to strengthening understanding and ties between the people of the two countries, thereby creating a sustainable social foundation for bilateral relations.

Reporter: Ambassador, could you tell us about the highlights of the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, along with the high-level Vietnamese delegation, to Thailand?

Ambassador Pham Viet Hung: First of all, this is the first visit of a General Secretary and President of Vietnam to Thailand, and Thailand is also the first stop for our General Secretary and President on this visit to friendly ASEAN countries. This demonstrates Vietnam's high regard for the friendship and cooperation with Thailand, as well as the important significance of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1976-2026).

Following this, through talks and meetings between the General Secretary and President of Vietnam and the highest-ranking leaders of Thailand, the two sides will discuss and outline a strategic vision and specific measures to develop the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership more effectively and sustainably in the future, while also strengthening coordination within regional and international mechanisms.

The visit will include activities to facilitate exchanges and business networking between the two countries. Given that Vietnam and Thailand are leading economic partners of each other within ASEAN, the visit is an opportunity for the business communities of both sides to strengthen connections and seek new cooperation opportunities in areas such as trade, investment, logistics, digital transformation, green economy, and tourism, thereby further consolidating bilateral economic relations.

The Vietnamese community abroad has always received high attention from the Party and State of Vietnam, considered "an inseparable part and a resource of the Vietnamese nation, and an important factor contributing to strengthening cooperative relations between our country and other countries in the world." Therefore, a very important part of the visit is the program to meet with the Vietnamese community in Thailand, a community of over 100,000 people who always cherish their homeland, are proud of its development, and have been, are, and will always be an important bridge of friendship, contributing to strengthening understanding and connection between the people of the two countries. Despite a very busy schedule, the General Secretary and President will dedicate considerable time to meeting with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Thailand, informing them about the situation and development direction of the country, and listening to and sharing their thoughts and aspirations.

Reporter: Ambassador, the Vietnam-Thailand relationship is currently at the highest level, a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In your opinion, what should the two countries do to further develop this relationship in a more substantive and effective way in the coming period?

Ambassador Pham Viet Hung: The Vietnam-Thailand relationship has now been elevated to the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. However, the important thing is not only the symbolic significance of that cooperation framework, but also how to transform political commitments into substantive, effective, and long-term cooperation programs that meet the practical interests of the people of both countries for many decades to come.

In that spirit, the two countries will need to agree on an Action Program to implement the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the period 2026-2031, with specific, feasible, and synchronized measures for ministries, sectors, localities, and relevant agencies of both countries to coordinate in implementation.

Regarding the "Three Connections" Initiative, the first is supply chain connectivity. With bilateral trade exceeding US$22 billion annually, it's clear that businesses in both countries have formed increasingly close links. However, in the context of significant regional and global economic changes and restructuring, Vietnam and Thailand need to further strengthen deeper connections within regional and global supply chains. Thailand possesses many strengths in manufacturing, logistics, and international supply networks; promoting connections between businesses in both countries will contribute to further expanding Vietnam's participation in global value chains.

Secondly, there is the connection between people, businesses, and localities. The cooperative relationship between the two countries currently has a very positive foundation with nearly 800 Thai investment projects in Vietnam, totaling approximately US$15.4 billion in registered capital, along with 20 pairs of localities that have signed cooperation agreements or established sister-city relationships. These are important foundations for both sides to continue expanding people-to-people exchanges, strengthening cooperation between business communities, and promoting local connections in a more substantive, effective, and sustainable manner.

Thirdly, there is the connection towards sustainable development. Vietnam and Thailand are both Southeast Asian countries that share many challenges related to climate change, water security, energy security, and non-traditional security issues. At the same time, the two countries also have many similarities in development orientations, especially in the areas of digital transformation, digital economy, green economy, and sustainable growth. This is both an essential development need and opens up many new avenues for cooperation between the two countries in the future.

It can be affirmed that, with the foundation of friendship and cooperation built over the past half-century, coupled with the strong political determination of the leaders of both countries and the active participation of ministries, localities, businesses, and people of both countries, the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to develop even more deeply and effectively, making a positive contribution to peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Reporter: Thank you, Ambassador Pham Viet Hung, for the interview.

XUAN SON-MINH THANG

Reporter of Nhan Dan Newspaper based in Thailand

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thuc-day-quan-he-viet-nam-thai-lan-len-tam-cao-moi-post964062.html