A ceremony was held in Bangkok on August 30 to celebrate Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day.

President of the Thai Senate Teeradej Meepian and Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul attended the event.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang recalled the glorious days of the 1945 autumn, when millions of Vietnamese people rose up to conduct the revolution to overthrow the colonial regime and liberate the country, opening a new era for the nation.

Since the complete national unification in 1975, Vietnam has recorded proud achievements in its renewal process and Vietnam’s prestige has been constantly improved on the international arena.

On the traditional relationship between Vietnam and Thailand, Ambassador Thang said bilateral cooperation has been constantly expanded in all fields.

At present, the two countries are actively building a comprehensive strategic partnership on the basis of the “Joint Statement on the Vietnam-Thailand Cooperation Framework in the First Decade of the 21st Century”, he said.

Thailand has become one of the most important trade partners of Vietnam, with two-way trade at 7.2 billion USD in 2010, a year-on-year rise of 18 percent.

In addition, Vietnam and Thailand have continued their strong cooperation at regional and international forums, especially in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the United Nations.

Earlier, Ambassador Thang presented the Friendship Order to families of Somboon Rahong, former Thai Deputy Prime Minister and former President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, and Sookprida Phanomyong, former advisor of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association in recognition of their active contributions to promoting the development of cooperative, friendly relations between Thailand and Vietnam.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese diplomat also bestowed 34 medals, orders and certificates of merits of Vietnam to overseas Vietnamese individuals and families in Sa Kaeo, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Phat Thalung and Surat Thani provinces for their contributions to national construction and defence./.