On August 10 in Nghe An, the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association, the Embassy of Thailand in Viet Nam and the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee jointly organized a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Viet Nam-Thailand diplomatic relations (August 6, 1976 - August 6, 2026).

Delegates visit the photo exhibition marking 50 years of Viet Nam-Thailand friendship. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

The event was attended by Ngo Le Van, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Vo Trong Hai, Deputy Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee; Urawadee Sriphiromya, Ambassador of Thailand to Viet Nam; Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Vice President of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations; Senior Lieutenant General, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh, President of the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association; Sanan Angubolkul, President of the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association; and around 300 delegates representing central ministries, departments, agencies and organizations, businesses, the Vietnamese community in Thailand, and Viet Nam-Thailand friendship associations in 16 provinces and cities.

Viet Nam and Thailand established diplomatic relations in 1976. Over the past 50 years, bilateral relations have gradually advanced from a Strategic Partnership in 2013, to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2019, and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025. Looking back on the half-century journey, speeches at the ceremony highlighted developments in political cooperation, the economy, sustainable development, digital transformation, people-to-people exchanges and connections among localities.

Delegates watch the video clip “50 years of accompanying each other, 30 years of the people-to-people bridge.” (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Strengthening economic and community connections between Nghe An and Thailand

According to Vo Trong Hai, two-way trade between Nghe An and Thailand has reached approximately US$100 million. The province currently has nine FDI projects from Thai investors, with total registered capital exceeding US$241 million. These projects focus on industrial park infrastructure, supporting industries, food processing, electronic component manufacturing and other high-value-added sectors.

Regarding investment cooperation, the Nghe An provincial leadership said that WHA 1 Industrial Park, invested in by Thailand's WHA Group, covers nearly 500 hectares and has an occupancy rate of more than 60%. WHA is continuing to expand its investment in a second industrial park in Nghe An.

Vo Trong Hai, Deputy Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, speaks at the commemorative ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Vo Trong Hai also said that around 5,000 people originally from Nghe An are currently living in various localities across Thailand. Cultural exchanges, education and training, tourism and community connections between the two countries have been maintained alongside cooperation between localities and businesses on both sides.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Urawadee Sriphyromya highlighted historical and community ties in bilateral relations. She referred to President Ho Chi Minh's period of activities in Thailand and the efforts of Thai people to preserve memorial sites dedicated to him in Udon Thani, Nakhon Phanom and Phichit.

The Ambassador also said that the Thai community of Vietnamese origin has made important contributions to promoting people-to-people exchanges through trade and culture. Viet Nam Towns have been established in Udon Thani and Nakhon Phanom, while Vietnamese pagodas belonging to the Annam Nikaya tradition have also been preserved in many localities across Thailand.

Key priorities for connectivity in the coming period

At the commemorative ceremony, the leaders of the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association and the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association devoted a significant part of their remarks to outlining directions for activities in the coming period.

President of the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association Nguyen Van Thanh speaks at the commemorative ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

President of the Viet Nam-Thailand Friendship Association Nguyen Van Thanh said the Association will continue to promote connections among localities, businesses, educational institutions, research institutes and social organizations. Against the backdrop of rapid advances in digital technology and AI, he highlighted the role of connecting localities with knowledge, technology, management experience and international resources.

According to Nguyen Van Thanh, the Association will coordinate with the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association and its partners to focus on four directions in the coming period.

President of the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association Sanan Angubolkul emphasized that people-to-people relations are the “roots” of Viet Nam-Thailand relations. Over the past 30 years, the two associations have jointly carried out activities in education, culture, sports, trade promotion and healthcare support. According to him, although some activities have been small in scale, initiatives at the community level have played an important role in bringing the peoples of the two countries closer together and passing the friendship on from one generation to the next.

President of the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association Sanan Angubolkul speaks at the commemorative ceremony. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Sanan Angubolkul outlined two areas that the Thailand-Viet Nam Friendship Association will promote over the next decade. The first is to strengthen local economic connectivity, creating opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and community-based businesses in the two countries to establish trade links and grow together. The second is to promote digital transformation and AI. According to Sanan, technology is an important tool for enhancing the capacity of people and grassroots economies and responding to the rapid changes taking place in the world.

Delegates pose for a group photo. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

Traditional Attire Tells Story of 50 Years of Vietnam-Thailand Relations On August 6, the exhibition “Woven Ties: 50 Years of Vietnam-Thailand Diplomatic Relations” opened in Hanoi, showcasing the traditional attire of Vietnam and Thailand while highlighting the cultural affinities between the two countries. The event also underscored the role of people-to-people exchanges throughout the half-century of bilateral relations.

30 Years of People-to-People Diplomacy between Vietnam and Thailand The year 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand (1976-2026) and the 30th anniversary of the establishment and development of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association (1996-2026). Throughout the history of bilateral relations, the Association has consistently nurtured the friendship between the two countries while gradually expanding its activities from traditional exchanges to cooperation among localities and businesses, as well as in education, culture and among younger generations, thereby contributing to greater understanding and cooperation between the peoples of Vietnam and Thailand.