Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnam – Thailand Business Forum titled "Strategic insights for investors and business leaders" was held in Bangkok on October 7, attracting over 100 representatives from Thai enterprises and legal experts of the two nations.
Hosted by the Federation of Thai Industries in collaboration with Baker McKenzie - one of the world’s leading law firms, the event aimed to provide businesses with practical insights into the legal and regulatory environment in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), thus opening up cooperation opportunities between Vietnamese and Thai enterprises, stepping up bilateral investment, and economic and trade exchanges between the two countries.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung noted that the comprehensive strategic partnership established between the two countries in May 2025 has ushered bilateral cooperation into a more substantive period. Two-way trade is set to reach 25 billion USD by 2026.
Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN and the ninth-biggest foreign investor in the country, with total registered capital exceeding 14 billion USD in 2023, spanning key sectors such as energy, retail, food processing, green materials, and logistics. Many major corporations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises from Thailand are operating in Vietnam. Giants like PTT, SCG, Central Retail, B.Grimm Power, Gulf Energy, and CP Group are not only expanding their presence but also shifting toward green and sustainable sectors, fully aligned with Vietnam’s development priorities.
In the first half of this year, Thai businesses launched 19 new projects in Vietnam, with total registered capital exceeding 869.65 million USD, over 11 times higher than the same period last year, marking the highest amount of Thai investment in Vietnam for the first half of any year during 2021 - 2025.
The diplomat noted in recent years, the Vietnamese Government has implemented strong reforms, recognising that a transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly environment is key to sustainable development. He affirmed that Vietnam stands ready to accompany Thai businesses on a journey toward long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation, aiming for a connected, prosperous, and sustainable future for both countries.
Throughout the plenary session on unlocking growth and opportunities for investing in Vietnam, lawyers from Baker McKenzie Vietnam presented topics of keen interest to businesses and investors, related to investment trends and growth sectors in Vietnam, economic stimulus packages, and regulatory reforms, and how Thai investors can tap cross-border business and investment opportunities.
In-depth insights on FDI/M&A, financing, renewable energy projects, fundraising, and dispute resolution; as well as legal regulations on taxation, labour and compliance, financial services, intellectual property, technology, and data governance, were also put on the table.
Wynn Pakdeejit, managing lawyer at Baker McKenzie Thailand, said that Vietnam is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic economies, backed by strong fundamentals and a skilled and young workforce, driven by a government that consistently leads and pushes forward reforms./.
VNA
