Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his visiting Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra on May 15 afternoon contemplated and experienced unique handicraft products of Vietnam and visited a photo exhibition featuring the two countries and their relations.
Organised at the Government Headquarters, the photo exhibition introduces Vietnam, Thailand, their people and relationship through nearly 20 black and white, and colour photos. In particular, the photos record the development process of the bilateral relationship from the official establishment of diplomatic relations on August 6, 1976, to the "Enhanced Strategic Partnership" in 2015 to present, with many important achievements in the fields of politics, diplomacy, economy - trade - investment, culture, education - training, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.
After 49 years of construction and development, the two sides have created an important and solid foundation and premise to bring the Vietnam - Thailand relationship to a new height.
The two leaders watched artisans perform and displayed products, and listened to introduction about Vietnam's unique handicrafts such as clay figurines, conical hats, bamboo and rattan weaving, ceramics, fine art wood, embroidery, silverware, folk paintings, and lacquerware.
Handicraft products are made from familiar materials, closely associated with the daily life of Vietnamese people. They are cultural heritage, crystallised from the ingenuity, passion and soul of artisans, expressing the beauty and pride of the Vietnamese nation.
Handicrafts in Vietnam have a long history associated with craft villages and streets across the country. Currently, Vietnam has about 2,500 handicraft villages with famous places such as Bat Trang and Phu Lang pottery; Van Phuc silk; Bang So bamboo weaving; Dong Xam silver carving; Lang Chuong conical hats; Dinh Cong silverware; and Dong Ho and Hang Trong folk paintings.
In addition to serving domestic and international tourists to Vietnam, handicrafts are always in the top 10 export items with the largest turnover, and they have been present in 163 countries and territories worldwide.
This is the first visit to Vietnam by PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra since she took office and the first trip by a Thai prime minister in 11 years.
During the trip, the two PMs will co-chair the 4th Vietnam – Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting – the first of its kind in 10 years. This event is expected to contribute to strengthening political trust and offer an opportunity for both sides to review the process of promoting cooperation in all fields in the recent past in order to deepen and substantiate the relationship in the upcoming era of cooperation and development./.
Vietnamese, Thai PMs explore cultural ties through art and handicrafts
As part of her official visit to Vietnam and co-chairing of the 4th Vietnam–Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was hosted by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a dinner in Hanoi on the evening of May 15, 2025. The two leaders also toured a photo exhibition and a display of traditional handicrafts that reflect the rich cultural identity of Vietnam.
