Nguyen Manh Cuong, Party Central Committee member and Deputy Foreign Minister made the statement in a recent media interview ahead of the visit.
According to the Deputy FM, Vietnam and Thailand are close neighbours with many shared interests in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. After nearly 50 years of diplomatic relations, ties between the two countries have continued to be strengthened and expanded comprehensively, becoming one of the most dynamic and effective relationships within ASEAN.
A particularly important milestone in bilateral ties was the elevation of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025. The move shows the very high level of political trust between the two countries and demonstrates the common determination of leaders on both sides to deepen bilateral ties in a more substantive and effective manner in the new period, Cuong emphasized.
A notable feature of Vietnam-Thailand relations is the increasingly strong political trust between the two nations. The two sides have maintained regular high-level visits, contacts, cooperation mechanisms and strategic exchanges across a multitude of fields.
Among them, the Joint Cabinet Meeting mechanism at the prime ministerial level is a distinctive feature of bilateral ties, reflecting the close coordination and strong bonds between the two countries in promoting comprehensive cooperation.
Economic cooperation continues to be a bright spot in bilateral relations. Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, with two-way trade exceeding US$22 billion in 2025.
The two economies are becoming increasingly interconnected within regional supply chains. Thailand is also among the largest ASEAN investors in Vietnam, with many large-scale projects in energy, processing industries, retail, logistics and infrastructure.
Both countries also boast huge potential for cooperation in supply chain development, transport connectivity, logistics and Mekong subregional cooperation. Given the important geostrategic position of each country, the two sides are well placed to become connectivity hubs in mainland Southeast Asia.
Alongside economic ties, defence and security cooperation between the two countries has become increasingly substantive and in-depth.
The two sides have coordinated closely in combating transnational crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cyber security threats and other non-traditional security challenges. This has contributed significantly to strengthening mutual trust and maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region.
Cooperation in culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges has also continued to expand strongly. The two countries currently have around 20 pairs of twinned provinces and cities. The Vietnamese community in Thailand serves as an important bridge of friendship between the two peoples. In particular, President Ho Chi Minh relic sites in Thailand carry deep historical and emotional significance, contributing to forging the traditional friendship between the two countries’ people.
On that foundation, Vietnam and Thailand are well positioned to further deepen and make their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership more substantive.
Regarding the upcoming official visit to Thailand by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, Cuong said this will be the first visit by the Vietnamese leader to an ASEAN member state in his new capacity, and comes as bilateral ties have just been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
According to him, the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s high regard for relations with Thailand as well as for Southeast Asia. It will also provide an opportunity for senior leaders of the two countries to hold in-depth discussions on major orientations for effectively carrying out the new cooperation framework, thereby creating additional impetus for bilateral relations in the coming period.
One important expectation for the visit is to further consolidate and deepen political trust between the two countries at a time when the global and regional situation is undergoing rapid and complex changes. Strengthening strategic exchanges, coordinating stances and maintaining high-level contacts are of great significance, laying the foundation for the two countries to continue expanding cooperation across all areas.
Economically, the visit will open up new advances in trade, investment, logistics and supply chain connectivity. The two sides also have substantial potential for cooperation in new areas such as digital transformation, the green economy, the circular economy, renewable energy, innovation and industrial transformation. These are all areas aligned with the development strategies of both countries in the new period.
The visit is also expected to further promote regional connectivity, particularly within Mekong and ASEAN cooperation. Vietnam and Thailand both play important roles in promoting ASEAN economic integration and strengthening infrastructure connectivity, trade and people-to-people exchanges across the region.
In addition, cooperation in culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges will continue to expand. Enhanced air connectivity, tourism cooperation, and exchanges among youth, students and localities will help strengthen the sustainable social foundation of bilateral ties. The two sides are also expected to maintain close coordination at regional and international forums, especially within ASEAN, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.
Cuong affirmed that, based on the strong foundation of friendship, high political trust and broad cooperation potential, the visit will create fresh impetus for Vietnam-Thailand relations to develop more strongly and reach new heights in the time to come.
