The Party and State of Vietnam always pay due attention to the Vietnamese community abroad, including those in Thailand , National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has said.

Hung made the statement at a gathering with over 500 Vietnamese expatriates from the northeast province of Udon Thani and other localities on the fringes of his official visit to Thailand that began on December 3.

The Chairman expressed his wish for overseas Vietnamese in Thailand to support each other during difficulties, while tightening relations with the host country’s local community, maintaining the Vietnamese national cultural identity and contributing to the modernisation and industrialisation of the host country.

Later, Hung received Udon Thani Governor Ammat Paragat. During their talks, Hung said that he hopes the Thai Government and its administrations will continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese expatriates to develop their businesses and improve their living conditions, which will actively contribute to promoting the traditional friendly neighbourly relations between the two countries.

At a separate meeting with the Vietnamese-Thai Association and representatives from the Vietnamese-Thai Business Association, Hung spoke highly of the association’s role in developing relations with local authorities at all levels, maintaining close and regular connections with local communities.

He also suggested that associations should promote their information-sharing channels between businesses of the two countries and encourage businesses from both sides to increase investment in all areas, especially in tourism, garments and textiles and agricultural products, which are Thailand ’s strengths.

Earlier, Hung had a get-together with the staff of the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok .

The NA Chairman accompanied by the high-ranking delegation left Udon Thani in late December 4 for Tokyo.-VNA