Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Sarun Charoensuwan has suggested Vietnam and his country work together to further promote two-way trade, towards reaching the goal of USD 25 billion by 2025, reported VNA.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu (R) and Acting Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Sarun Charoensuwan. Photo: VNA

Sarun made the suggestion at a meeting on May 9 with Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu, during which the host called on the Vietnamese Government to pay attention to supporting Thai investment projects in the field of renewable energy.

Hieu, who is also head of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, proposed Thailand to continue to consider speeding up procedures to increase the number of Vietnamese agricultural products imported into the Thai market.

He suggested the two sides soon recognise each other's vaccine passports in order to further make it easier for investment, trade and tourism cooperation, saying that this not only helps facilitate travel between the two countries but also contributes to forming tourism links from Thailand to Vietnam and vice versa.

The two sides agreed to effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the two foreign ministries, including enhancing the sharing of experience in digital and public diplomacy.

In the context that the two countries have well control the Covid-19 pandemic and opened their countries, the two foreign ministries should actively coordinate and soon arrange visits by senior leaders and organise the 4th joint cabinet meeting, and implement exchange mechanisms between the two ministries in 2022.

At the meeting. Photo: VNA

The two sides agreed to work together to promote relations between the twin provinces of the two countries, and effectively and practically implement their cooperation agreements and programmes.

The two sides will also coordinate to further strengthen the role and activities of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association and the Vietnam-Thai Friendship Association in order to promote people-to-people diplomacy between the two countries.

Previously, Deputy FM Hieu had a meeting with the Vietnamese community in Bangkok, and visited a number of business establishments of Vietnamese expats living and working in Thailand.

A ceremony was held on May 8 to attach Vietnamese nameplates to Ngoc Thanh (Wat Anna Duoikai Tralom Prachom Phatsakan) pagoda in Thailand. Photo: VNA

During his trip, Hieu and the delegation of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs also attended ceremonies to attach Vietnamese nameplates to the Tam Bao (whose Thai name is Wat Aphay Phati Kram) and Ngoc Thanh (Wat Anna Duoikai Tralom Prachom Phatsakan) pagodas of the Vietnamese community in Thailand.

The May 8 event saw the attendance of Most Venerable Thich Thien Cu, head of Annamnikaya – the Vietnam Buddhist branch in Thailand, leaders of two central Thai provinces - Suphan Buri and Chachoengsao – where the two pagodas are located, and hundreds of Vietnamese expats in the country.

The two are among the oldest Vietnamese pagodas in Thailand. There are approximately 20 pagodas of Vietnamese origin in Thailand where overseas Vietnamese meet and exchange with each other, especially during the holidays.

Addressing the event, Ngo Trinh Ha, vice chairman of the State Committee for OV Affairs said Annamnikaya is one of the only two foreign Buddhist sects in Thailand.

The introduction and development of the Vietnamese Buddhist sect in Thailand and spiritual and worship activities in line with Vietnamese traditions, not only contribute to preserving the national cultural identity among the Vietnamese community in Thailand but also serve as a bridge connecting expatriates and people in the country, he said.

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