Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh inspects the Vietnam Street project in Udon Thani province. Photo: NDO

The formation of a Vietnam Town in Udon Thani province, which is hosting the largest overseas Vietnamese community in Thailand, is an obvious development trend, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh while inspecting the Vietnam Street project in the locality, VNA reported Sunday.

The Thai Ministry of Culture recently organized a cultural trip to Udon Thani and Nongbua Lamphu in which the Diplomatic Corps has extended more reach to the Northeastern culture of Thailand. Dr. Phan Chi Thanh Ambassador of Vietnam along with other ambassadors from different accredited countries in Thailand to participated in the trip, as part of the framework of the country's cultural diplomacy.

During the trip, Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome introduced the overall objective of the trip which aims to provide an opportunity to members of the Diplomatic Corps to share the world heritage and cultural heritage of Northeast Thailand, introducing cultural sites of Udon Thani and Nong Bua Lam Phu regarding religion, tradition, archaeology, history and residential way of life, through visits to various places such as Phu Prabhat Historical Park, Ban Non Kok Weavers Community, Ban Chiang Community, Wat Temple Historical Site Pho Sri Nai and Khwanta Design and Learning Center.

Udon Thani is currently home to more than 60,000 Vietnamese-origin people. President Ho Chi Minh once lived in the locality in the 1920s.

The Vietnam Town is expected to become a cultural centre of Vietnamese people in Thailand's northeastern region, and a place to keep the tradition and culture of the Vietnamese community as well as a tourist attraction.

Ambassador Phan Chi Thanh and Udon Thani Mayor Thanadorn Phuttharaksa visit the construction site. Photo: NDO

The project has received strong support of the local administration, which decided to invest THB 3 million (nearly USD 86,000) in building and upgrading the infrastructure system of the town.

Visiting the construction site in Alley 2, Si Suk street of Udon Thani city, Ambassador Thanh and Udon Thani city Mayor Thanadorn Phuttharaksa discussed measures to speed up the progress of the project.

Ambassador Thanh thanked Mayor Thanadorn and the administration of Udon Thani city for their support to the Vietnamese community as well as the investment in the project. He described the project as a symbol of the friendship and warm sentiments that Thai and Vietnamese people give each other as well as the traditional bilateral ties.

With the project, Thani will be the first city in the world that has a Vietnam Town, he said.

At the working session between Ambassador Phan Chi Thanh and Udon Thani Mayor Thanadorn Phuttharaksa. Photo: NDO

For his part, Mayor Thanadorn highly valued the traditional beauty of Vietnamese people, which has been maintained among the Vietnamese community in Udon Thani.

He affirmed that the municipal administration will complete the upgrade of roads and pavements of the town in two months, and finish the decoration within this year.

He added that the city will also coordinate with the Vietnamese Thai Association in the province to implement the project, including the building of food stalls and souvenir shops, thus attracting visitors.

During his stay in Udon Thani, Ambassador Thanh also discussed with local authorities and leaders of Udon Thani Rajabhat University on the implementation of some projects to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture in the locality, including the building of a Vietnamese Culture Centre in the city and the setting up of a faculty of Vietnamese studies at the university.

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