Bangkok (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation departed Bangkok on May 28 evening, concluding their official visit to Thailand before beginning a state visit to Singapore.
The delegation was seen off at Don Mueang International Airport by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his spouse, along with several Thai Government officials and Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung, among others.
During his stay in Thailand, General Secretary and President Lam held talks with PM Anutin; and met with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, and President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives Sophon Saram. He attended the Vietnam–Thailand Business Forum; witnessed the exchange of cooperation agreements; and met representatives of the Thailand–Vietnam Friendship Association and major Thai corporations.
On this occasion, the Vietnamese leader and his spouse also offered incense and flowers in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at a memorial site dedicated to him in Udon Thani province, and met staff of the Vietnamese Embassy as well as representatives of the Vietnamese community in Thailand.
At the talks, the two leaders agreed to further strengthen political trust through maintaining high-level and all-level exchanges across all channels, improving the effectiveness of existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and soon convening a meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation between the two foreign ministers.
They agreed to deepen defence and security collaboration, strengthen coordination in combating transnational crime, cybercrime, and drug trafficking, and enhance cooperation to ensure maritime security and safety.
The two sides pledged to promote economic connectivity in a more complementary and substantive manner, aiming to raise bilateral trade turnover from the current 22 billion USD to 25 billion USD in a balanced and sustainable direction. They also agreed to accelerate licensing procedures and market access for several potential agricultural products.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese people living in Thailand and Thai citizens residing in Vietnam, and promoting Vietnamese-language teaching in Thailand and vice versa to enhance mutual understanding. They consented to preserve and promote historical and cultural sites associated with bilateral friendship, including memorial sites dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh in Thailand.
Both sides further pledged to maintain close coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums, strengthen ASEAN’s centrality, reinforce intra-regional solidarity, and expand cooperation within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.
They emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight; and resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
They also agreed to direct ministries and sectors to promptly implement the important outcomes achieved during the visit, contributing to more substantive and effective Vietnam–Thailand relations in the coming period./.
