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At the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will lead a high-level delegation of the Royal Thai Government on an official visit to Vietnam and co-chair the 4th Vietnam-Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting from May 15 to 16, 2025.

Speaking to the press ahead of the visit, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand and the Thai Ambassador to Vietnam shared a common view: in the context of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Thailand continuing to flourish in a comprehensive and increasingly substantive manner across all areas, the visit presents a significant opportunity for both sides to further elevate their relationship to a new level of depth, substance, and effectiveness.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, October 9, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Promoting Substantive Cooperation and Expanding into New Areas

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung, during the visit, the two sides will hold the 4th Joint Cabinet Meeting, a mechanism with a special name that reflects the high level of attention and shared determination to advance bilateral relations.

Under the direct co-chairmanship and guidance of the two Prime Ministers, the two sides will review and resolve remaining issues while identifying directions for cooperation across all sectors.

In terms of political and diplomatic ties, the two sides will focus on measures to further strengthen political trust, exchange delegations, and enhance cooperation across all channels - Party, Government, Parliament, and local authorities. They will also closely coordinate at regional and international forums, particularly within ASEAN and Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.

In the areas of economy, trade, and investment, both sides will review the progress of implementing plans and initiatives in this field, including the "Three Connectivity" initiative. They will also promote measures to expand cooperation, aiming to raise bilateral trade turnover to US$ 25 billion in the coming time, in a balanced and sustainable manner, while attracting Thai investment in Vietnam's priority sectors.

Center for Vietnamese Studies at Rajabhat Udon Thani University signs Cooperation Agreement with the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, May 2, 2025.

On culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges, the two countries will discuss measures to enhance connections between localities and to intensify cultural and tourism exchanges, thereby creating a sustainable social foundation for the friendship between the two countries.

In addition to the traditional areas of cooperation that have achieved positive results, Ambassador Pham Viet Hung emphasized that Vietnam and Thailand have great potential to expand cooperation in several emerging fields aligned with current development trends and the strategic orientations of both countries. These include digital transformation and the digital economy, renewable energy, and green growth.

Expectations for upgrading Vietnam-Thailand relations

Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya affirmed that Vietnam has always been a top investment destination for Thai businesses.

"Through my interactions with the business community, I have observed that investors have strong confidence in Vietnam's potential and its investment-promoting policies. They regard Vietnam as Thailand’s number one overseas investment destination," she said.

The Central Group of Thailand continues to expand its business activities in Vietnam. (Photo: GO!)

Thai investors consistently rank among the top 10 foreign investors in Vietnam, with total registered capital amounting to approximately US$ 14 billion. Notable examples include GO! shopping centers by Central Retail Group, industrial parks developed by Amata Group, and major projects by SCG Group, such as a petrochemical project in Vietnam worth over US$ 4 billion. Currently, many Thai companies are also investing in renewable energy, contributing to Vietnam’s energy security. In addition, numerous Thai enterprises are operating in other sectors, such as banking. Kasikornbank, one of Thailand’s leading banks, is cooperating with Vietnam on innovation initiatives. Thai Beverage is also preparing to launch the Dusit Thani hotel in Vietnam.

Tourism holds tremendous potential. The 60-day visa exemption for Vietnamese citizens and the "6 Countries, 1 Destination" initiative proposed by Thailand provide a solid foundation for deeper cooperation. Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya recommended that Vietnam expand flight routes and develop more land and waterway transportation links with ASEAN countries, to boost tourism and enhance exchanges between Vietnam and other countries in the region.

Thailand supports the teaching of the Vietnamese language in Thailand and encourages the teaching and learning of Thai in Vietnam. In recent years, Thai businesses have regularly sought to recruit Vietnamese students with Thai language proficiency. Both sides hope to see a growing number of Thai tourists visiting Vietnam, and having service and tourism businesses capable of communicating in Thai will help meet the needs of the expanding Thai tourist market in Vietnam.

Additionally, Vietnam has made significant strides in the technology sector, driven by its leadership’s vision of economic development based on the application of new technologies such as AI and robotics. The Ambassador expressed hope that these will also be key topics discussed by the two countries’ leaders during this visit.

According to the Ambassador, the visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra takes place at a time when the two countries are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations - a significant milestone in the history of Vietnam-Thailand relations.

"On this occasion, Thailand and Vietnam hope to elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting a strong commitment to enhancing coordination, jointly developing long-term strategies for sustainable national prosperity, and improving the well-being of both peoples. This is a valuable opportunity for the two countries’ leaders to engage in discussions, seek solutions to strengthen cooperation, support each other in overcoming challenges, and solidify their economic foundations while promoting regional relations as active ASEAN members," said Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya.

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