Webinar looks back on 45-year-old Vietnam-Thailand relations
A webinar titled “The 45th Anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand Relations: Taking Stock and Moving Forward” was organised on August 6 on the occasion of the anniversary.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh (R) attends the webinar. (Photo: ISIS)
Bangkok (VNA) – A webinar titled “The 45th Anniversary ofVietnam-Thailand Relations: Taking Stock and Moving Forward” was organised onAugust 6 on the occasion of the anniversary.
The webinar was jointly held by the Institute of Security andInternational Studies under Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University and the Centrefor Southeast Asian Studies under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
At the event, scholars focused discussions onVietnam-Thailand cooperation in all fields of politics - security, economy,trade, investment, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, as well astheir close cooperation and mutual support at multilateral mechanisms and inregional and international issues of mutual concern.
They agreed that there are good prospects for economic andpolitical collaboration, connectivity, labour, and climate change response betweenthe two countries.
Addressing the webinar, Vietnamese Ambassador to ThailandPhan Chi Thanh affirmed that in recent years, the bilateral relationship hascontinuously developed in all fields. The two sides established a strategicpartnership in 2013 and elevated it to an enhanced strategic partnership in2019. The two countries have also agreed to increase high-level visits andconsultations through existing bilateral mechanisms, such as the PoliticalConsultative Group (PCG), the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC)and the Joint Cabinet Retreat (JCR).
In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the bilateral tradeturnover still reached 16 billion USD, with Thailand currently being Vietnam'slargest trading partner in ASEAN. The two sides set a target to increase two-waytrade to 25 billion USD by 2025. Thailand is one of the top ten foreigninvestors in Vietnam with over 12.3 billion USD.
Regarding regional and global security and developmentissues, participants suggested the two countries continue to work with other countriesin the region to maintain peace, stability and security in the East Sea,address differences and disputes through international law, including the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit has affirmed that economic, trade and investment cooperation between Thailand and Vietnam is flourishing with bilateral trade in the first four months of 2021 increasing by 20 percent year-on-year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and Thai Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Thani Thongphakdi co-chaired the eighth annual political consultation between the two foreign ministries, which was held virtually on June 30.
The Vietnam-Thailand relations have been upheld and strengthened in all fields by the countries’ leaders and people despite uncertainties in the region and in each nation.
A book in both Vietnamese and Thai languages highlighting the 45th founding anniversary of the Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic ties (August 6, 1976 - 2021) made its debut on August 6.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phan Chi Thanh (R) attends the webinar. (Photo: ISIS) 
