Speaking at the event, Senior Lieutenant General and Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh, President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association, said that as relations between the two countries have been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the friendship associations need to continue innovating their content and methods, while soon identifying key programmes that directly contribute to the implementation of bilateral relations and support the development goals of both sides.

Senior Lieutenant General and Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh (far right), Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam–Thailand Friendship Association, attends the meeting. (Photo: Vietnam–Thailand Friendship Association)

Connecting businesses, localities and green development

Nguyen Van Thanh proposed that the friendship associations participate in promoting the “Three Connections” strategy between Vietnam and Thailand. The three connections comprise supply chains in sectors where the two countries have strong and highly complementary capabilities; connections between businesses and localities of the two countries; and connections between sustainable development strategies, including Vietnam’s Green Growth Strategy and Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) Model.

Nguyen Van Thanh also called for greater attention to digital transformation, innovation, artificial intelligence, the green economy, education and training, and exchanges among younger generations.

The Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association and the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association currently maintain an annual joint conference, held alternately in the two countries to exchange views, review activities and propose cooperation initiatives. The two sides also promote exchanges among businesses, pupils and students; the teaching and learning of Vietnamese in Thailand and Thai in Vietnam; and connections between educational institutions and youth exchange programmes.

A cultural performance at the meeting. (Photo: Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association)

Leveraging Tuyen Quang’s strengths

Following the merger, Tuyen Quang’s development space has been expanded to encompass additional strengths in tourism, culture, agriculture, the border economy and external cooperation. From Tan Trao to the Dong Van Karst Plateau, the province boasts diverse historical, cultural and tourism resources, creating greater opportunities to explore suitable cooperation programmes.

According to Nguyen Van Thanh, Tuyen Quang can promote cultural and tourism exchanges; connect businesses, agricultural products and OCOP products; foster cooperation in education and youth affairs; develop community-based and green tourism; and exchange experience in preserving and promoting the cultural values of ethnic groups.

He called on the Tuyen Quang Provincial Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association to leverage its role as a bridge and proactively propose activities suited to the province’s strengths. This would both support the province’s development goals and strengthen people-to-people connections between Vietnam and Thailand.

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.

50 Years of Viet Nam-Thailand Relations: Expanding Connections Among Localities, Businesses and Younger Generations After 50 years of diplomatic relations, people-to-people exchanges between Viet Nam and Thailand are moving towards more concrete connections among localities, businesses and younger generations. At a commemorative ceremony in Nghe An, leaders of the two friendship associations outlined key priorities for the coming period, ranging from local economic linkages and connections among small and medium-sized enterprises to innovation, digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI).