How does the Ambassador assess the significance and expectations surrounding the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to Thailand?
Mr. To Lam's visit, in his capacity as both General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam, is of extremely special and important significance.
This is not only the first official visit to Thailand since the 14th Party Congress and the completion of Vietnam's new leadership, but it also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Vietnam. It has been quite a while since we had such a high-level visit.
At the same time, this is the first leg of General Secretary and President To Lam's ASEAN tour, meaning that Thailand is the first ASEAN country he visits before continuing to several other ASEAN countries.
In Thailand, we are very much looking forward to welcoming you and the high-level Vietnamese delegation. We are all very excited, not only at the government level but also at the people level. Many Thais of Vietnamese descent are also looking forward to welcoming the General Secretary, the President, and the Vietnamese delegation to Thailand.
As I just mentioned, this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1976-2026). This is a very significant milestone, reflecting the mutual trust and respect, as well as the close and cordial cooperative relationship between the two countries.
As you know, Thailand and Vietnam are currently Comprehensive Strategic Partners. This shows that the cooperative relationship between the two countries is becoming increasingly close, strong, and further enhanced. As Ambassador, I feel extremely honored and proud that such a historic visit is taking place during my term of office.
In 2025, the two countries agreed to cooperate on the basis of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is the highest level of cooperation that Vietnam has established with a partner country. Therefore, during the visit, the two sides will discuss in detail how to promote this cooperation framework in the future.
The most important achievement will be the Action Plan that the two countries and relevant agencies will jointly implement to achieve concrete results. And this cooperation will not be limited to one or two areas, but in my opinion, will be very comprehensive, encompassing all aspects of cooperation between the two countries.
I believe that with the Action Plan for the period 2026-2031, this will be a very well-structured cooperation program, helping the two countries to promote mutual support and work together towards common goals of security, peace, and prosperity.
This visit also takes place against the backdrop of numerous international challenges. The opportunity for leaders of both countries to consult and exchange views on how to support each other in overcoming the difficulties and challenges arising from the current international context is highly valuable. Furthermore, we both place particular importance on issues such as energy security, food security, and the increasingly complex nature of transnational crime.
Thailand highly values Vietnam's role. Last year, Vietnam hosted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. Our Minister in charge also attended the signing ceremony. This is a prime example of Vietnam's commitment, along with Thailand and other countries in the region and around the world, to addressing this serious issue that affects both people and the economy.
The world is changing rapidly, and we see Vietnam as a proactive country promoting cooperation at many levels, including multilateral ones. Vietnam has just completed its role as chair of a conference related to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. You have also made many important contributions in areas of international cooperation, including at UNESCO, the United Nations, and development agendas.
Therefore, I am confident that the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam will achieve many excellent results. I myself, along with my colleagues at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all members of the Thai government, have been coordinating very closely with the Vietnamese side to ensure the visit is a great success.
Once again, I believe this will be one of the most significant visits. The fact that the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations falls at this time makes the visit even more special. We also cherish the long-standing friendship with the Government, country, and people of Vietnam – whom we consider like family.
During his visit to Thailand in December 2025, Minister Le Hoai Trung met with Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow. (Photo: Bao Chi)
Ambassador, could you please share some of the highlights in the relations between our two countries in the recent past?
I believe that bilateral cooperation between the two countries has never been closer than it is now.
Our cooperative relationship is elevated to a new level each year. As I mentioned, last year both sides agreed to upgrade the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. And I recall that Thailand was one of the first countries to establish an Enhanced Strategic Partnership with Vietnam. By 2025, we will continue to work together to achieve the framework of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
I understand that Vietnam has only established such cooperation frameworks with a select few countries, so I consider this a very noteworthy achievement.
Regarding economic cooperation, for many years, Thailand has consistently been among the top 10 largest foreign investors in Vietnam, and by 2025, we had risen from 9th to 8th place. This demonstrates the strong interest of the Thai people and business community in cooperating and investing in Vietnam. We have mutual trust and respect, and we have confidence in the policies and measures implemented by the Vietnamese government to create a favorable environment for the private sector to develop.
These initiatives not only benefit Thai businesses but also directly contribute to Vietnam's economic growth and improve the lives of Vietnamese people in the localities where Thai businesses invest, especially in many provinces and cities across the country.
Furthermore, I believe that since taking up my post in Vietnam, the number of tourists between the two countries has grown significantly. Of course, both countries face external challenges, especially economic shocks in recent years, but overall, people-to-people exchanges between the two countries remain extremely vibrant.
Thai people have always loved visiting Vietnam. We have had many delegations come to Vietnam, and not only official delegations, but many people also feel that Vietnam is a friendly country with many similarities to Thailand, making them feel extremely comfortable spending time here with their families.
And I think that sentiment also flows in the opposite direction, with many Vietnamese people traveling to Thailand. Therefore, people-to-people exchanges are a very solid foundation for further promoting economic cooperation and investment between the two countries.
Looking back, I also believe that the current period is particularly favorable. I have heard from many businesses that invested in Vietnam 40 years ago, and they all affirm that they are very satisfied. For them, the two countries and their people have never been as close as they are now.
For my part, not only I personally but also the Thai government have always paid special attention to Vietnam and Hanoi. Last year, Hanoi was selected as one of six capitals to host the Thai Festival – our key cultural promotion project. This was also the first time the Thai Festival was held in Hanoi.
This year, in March, the Thai Festival was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Vietnam and was a great success. I was truly moved to see so many Vietnamese people attending and experiencing the festival. This was only the second year of the event, but we welcomed over 20,000 visitors over the three days of the festival at Thang Long Imperial Citadel.
The event also helped to spark curiosity and admiration among the Thai people for Thang Long Imperial Citadel - a World Heritage site of Vietnam.
In particular, I believe that trust between the two countries is being increasingly strengthened. We have been coordinating very closely, always striving to support and facilitate each other, and supporting each other in regional and international forums, such as ASEAN and APEC. In the future, Thailand will continue to cooperate closely with Vietnam in even more areas.
In March 2026, the Thai Embassy in Vietnam solemnly organized the Thai Festival 2026 with the theme “Creative Life and Creative Heartbeat”. (Source: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)
Ambassador, what role does the Thailand-Vietnam partnership play in the stability and development of Southeast Asia?
Given Vietnam's economic development achievements and the stability it has maintained recently, we believe that Vietnam, along with Thailand, can play a role in advancing the ASEAN agenda.
Currently, ASEAN faces numerous challenges, both internal and from a rapidly changing international environment, including competition among major powers, instability, and even conflict in the Middle East. Vietnam and Thailand share many similarities in their positions. Both promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity; foster a rules-based region; and ensure the unity of ASEAN member states. We also need to adopt a balanced approach in our relations with major powers to keep the region free from conflict, thereby allowing us to focus on the region's socio-economic development.
Within ASEAN, Thailand is not only one of the founding members, but we also consistently strive to ensure that countries both within and outside ASEAN respect ASEAN's role.
Furthermore, I have observed that Vietnam's long-term development goals are very similar to those of Thailand: the pursuit of sustainable economic growth. In fact, both Vietnam and Thailand are promoting sustainable development. Currently, Thailand is the ASEAN coordinator for sustainable development cooperation. Vietnam has also implemented numerous policies to support ASEAN's transition towards green development, a green economy, and digital transformation, aiming to create new competitive advantages for its economy.
Another point I would like to emphasize is that both Thailand and Vietnam are maritime nations with long coastlines. In the current context, maritime security is of paramount importance. The two countries have been coordinating to promote maritime security, freedom of navigation, and adherence to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in maritime cooperation. This is also a very promising area for further strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the future.
Thank you very much, Ambassador!
