Hanoi (VNA) – The official visit to Thailand from May 27 - 29 by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam and his spouse is expected to create new momentum for bilateral relations and further deepen collaboration for the benefit of both peoples, as well as for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
This marks the first trip to Thailand by General Secretary and President Lam, and takes place as the two countries commemorate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties (August 6, 1976 – 2026).
50 years of traditional friendship
Vietnam and Thailand share a long-standing friendship rooted in historical and cultural ties. During his journey seeking ways to liberate the nation, late President Ho Chi Minh arrived in Thailand in July 1928, where he began promoting patriotism among the Vietnamese community there.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral cooperation has steadily expanded in both breadth and depth. The two countries have maintained strong political trust and close ties between leaders and peoples, providing a solid foundation for cooperation across Party, State, Government, parliamentary, business and people-to-people channels.
Following Vietnam’s accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995, cooperation between the two countries deepened further. The relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2013, making Vietnam and Thailand the first two ASEAN members to establish such a framework with each other. The ties were upgraded to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2015 and to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2025.
Political cooperation has continued to expand through frequent high-level exchanges. Most recently, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung met his Thai counterpart Anutin Charnvirakul on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, on May 8. The two leaders agreed to strengthen political trust, enhance high-level exchanges, improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and promote balanced and sustainable trade and investment.
At present, the two countries maintain 10 bilateral cooperation and dialogue mechanisms covering diplomacy, defence, security and a wide range of economic sectors. On the international stage, they work closely together at regional and global forums, particularly within ASEAN, the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms. Together with other ASEAN member states, Vietnam and Thailand continue to strengthen regional solidarity, uphold ASEAN centrality and support efforts to realise the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Economic, trade and investment ties remain among the brightest pillars of bilateral relations. Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner within ASEAN, with bilateral trade exceeding 22 billion USD in 2025, up about 10% year-on-year, and 8.59 billion USD in the first four months of 2026. The two countries are aiming to raise two-way trade to 25 billion USD in the near future.
In addition to traditional sectors, both sides are prioritising cooperation in digital transformation, e-government, green economy, energy transition and innovation.
Thailand currently ranks eighth among foreign investors in Vietnam, with nearly 800 projects worth more than 15 billion USD.
The two countries also possess significant potential for collaboration in supply chain development, transport connectivity, logistics and Mekong sub-regional cooperation. Given their strategic geographic locations, Vietnam and Thailand are well positioned to serve as key connectivity hubs in mainland Southeast Asia.
Defence and security cooperation has also become increasingly substantive, particularly in combating transnational crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime and other non-traditional security challenges.
People-to-people exchanges and tourism continue to flourish. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung, around one million Vietnamese tourists visit Thailand annually, while between 400,000 and 500,000 Thai visitors travel to Vietnam each year. Thailand is currently home to more than 100,000 Thai people of Vietnamese origin, who serve as an important bridge of friendship between the two nations.
Creating new momentum for bilateral ties
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong, the upcoming visit carries special significance as it is General Secretary and President Lam’s first visit to an ASEAN country in his new capacity and comes shortly after the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
It underscores Vietnam’s high regard for its relationship with Thailand as well as for the broader Southeast Asian region. It will also provide an important opportunity for high-level leaders to hold in-depth discussions on major strategic orientations aimed at effectively implementing the new cooperation framework, thereby generating fresh momentum for bilateral relations in the years ahead.
During the visit, the two sides are expected to unveil a commemorative logo marking 50 years of diplomatic relations and adopt an Action Programme for implementing the Vietnam–Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2026–2031.
The visit will also feature business forums and exchanges aimed at expanding cooperation in trade, investment and other economic sectors. The top Vietnamese leader is also expected to meet with the Vietnamese community in Thailand, reaffirming the Party and State’s attention to overseas Vietnamese.
Built on five decades of friendship, strong political trust and expanding cooperation potential, the visit is hoped to generate fresh momentum for the Vietnam–Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and elevate bilateral relations to new heights in the coming years./.
