Hanoi (VNA) – The official visit to Vietnam by Sophon Zaram, President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand, reflects the high regard the two countries' high-ranking leaders attach to bilateral ties and their shared determination to further strengthen and deepen the Vietnam–Thailand comprehensive strategic partnership.
Made at the invitation of National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man the August 5–7 visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (August 6, 1976–2026). It follows the official visit to Thailand by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in May and the official visit to Vietnam by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in June.
Half a century of strong friendship
Vietnam and Thailand, two Southeast Asian nations, have enjoyed a longstanding friendship. Thailand also holds special historical significance as a place closely associated with late President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary activities during his quest for national salvation. He arrived in Thailand in July 1928 and began promoting patriotism among the Vietnamese community there.
Over the decades, bilateral cooperation has continued to expand in both breadth and depth. The two countries elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in June 2013, becoming the first two members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish such a partnership. They further upgraded ties to an enhanced strategic partnership in 2015 and a comprehensive strategic partnership in May 2025. The latest upgrade has opened a new chapter in bilateral cooperation built on three substantive pillars: partnership for sustainable peace, partnership for sustainable development, and partnership for a sustainable future.
Political cooperation has been strengthened through frequent high-level exchanges, mutual visits, and regular dialogue mechanisms covering diplomacy, defence, security, and economic cooperation. A distinctive feature of bilateral ties is the joint cabinet meeting mechanism at the prime ministerial level, which demonstrates the close coordination and strong commitment of both countries to advancing comprehensive cooperation.
Vietnam and Thailand have also worked closely together at regional and international forums, particularly within ASEAN, the United Nations, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Together with other ASEAN members, both countries continue to promote ASEAN unity, reinforce the bloc's centrality, and advance efforts to realise the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Economic and trade cooperation remains a bright spot
Thailand is currently Vietnam's largest trading partner within ASEAN and eighth-biggest foreign investor.
Two-way trade exceeded 22 billion USD in 2025, up around 10% year-on-year, while bilateral trade reached 13.3 billion USD in the first six months of 2026. The two countries aim to raise bilateral trade to 25 billion USD in the near future.
To achieve this goal, alongside traditional areas of cooperation, both are prioritising emerging sectors such as digital transformation, e-government, the green economy, just energy transition, and innovation. Their governments are also working to reduce trade barriers, promote more balanced and mutually beneficial trade, and encourage businesses to expand long-term investment and operations in each other's markets. Thailand currently has 804 valid investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital exceeding 15.4 billion USD, ranking eighth among 153 countries and territories investing in Vietnam and second among ASEAN investors after Singapore. Thai investment is concentrated mainly in manufacturing and processing industries, power generation, wind energy, petrochemicals, real estate, and wholesale and retail trade.
The two countries also have significant potential to cooperate in supply chain development, transport connectivity, logistics, and Mekong sub-regional cooperation. Given their strategic geographical positions, both are well placed to become key connectivity hubs in mainland Southeast Asia. They are currently developing concrete plans to implement the "Three Connects" Strategy under the action programme for implementing the Vietnam–Thailand comprehensive strategic partnership for 2026–2031, covering supply chain connectivity, business and local partnerships, and the alignment of sustainable growth strategies.
Beyond economic cooperation, defence and security, tourism, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people ties have also continued to flourish. Last year, more than 660,300 Vietnamese tourists visited Thailand, while nearly 458,000 Thai visitors travelled to Vietnam.
Currently, 20 Vietnamese provinces and cities have signed cooperation or twinning agreements with Thai peers.
Strengthening parliamentary cooperation
Cooperation between the two legislatures has continued to expand. The two sides have maintained frequent exchanges between parliamentary leaders, committees, and legislators, making important contributions to bilateral friendship and cooperation. In December 2023, they signed new cooperation agreements between the two NAs and between Vietnam's NA Office and the Secretariat of Thailand's House of Representatives.
They have also worked closely together at regional and international parliamentary forums, including the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), while supporting each other's positions on regional and international issues of shared interest.
NA President Sophon Zaram's official visit is his first to Vietnam since taking office in March 2026 and also the first official visit to Vietnam by the head of Thailand's legislature in nine years.
The visit offers an opportunity for the two sides' high-ranking leaders to look back on five decades of fruitful cooperation and shared achievements while charting strategic directions and measures to further advance bilateral ties in the new period.
According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung, the event will help further consolidate political trust and deepen bilateral relations while advancing the implementation of high-level agreements reached during General Secretary and President Lam's official visit to Thailand and Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul's official visit to Vietnam earlier this year.
The visit also reflects Thailand's high regard for its relationship with Vietnam and reaffirms the determination of the two legislatures to promote parliamentary diplomacy. It will also help implement agreements reached by high-ranking leaders, as well as the 2023–2028 cooperation agreement between Vietnam's NA and Thailand's House of Representatives.
It will provide an opportunity for both sides to strengthen exchanges in legislation, oversight and decision-making on major national issues, promote all-level delegation exchanges, and continue coordinating and supporting each other at regional and international parliamentary forums such as AIPA and IPU.
"I hope the visit will provide fresh momentum for both sides to review and accelerate the implementation of existing cooperation agreements, while discussing broad directions to expand collaboration in economy, trade, investment, connectivity, education, science-technology, innovation, people-to-people exchanges, and closer coordination within regional mechanisms, particularly ASEAN," Hung said./.
