Vietnam Establishes First Honorary Consulate in Thailand

Vietnam established its first Honorary Consulate in Phuket, Thailand on July 9. The move expands Vietnam's presence in Thailand, strengthens support for Vietnamese citizens, and promotes cooperation with the dynamic economic region along the Andaman coast.
July 11, 2026 | 17:34
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Attending the inauguration ceremony were Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung, representatives of local authorities, businesses, and the Vietnamese community living and working in southern Thailand.

This is Vietnam's first Honorary Consulate in Phuket. Its consular jurisdiction covers eight southern coastal provinces of Thailand: Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang, Satun, Ranong, Songkhla, and Surat Thani.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung (third from left) poses for a commemorative photo with Honorary Consul Thaneth Tantipiriyakij and several leaders of southern Thai provinces in front of the Honorary Consulate Office in Phuket. (Photo: Do Sinh/VNA).
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung (third from left) poses for a commemorative photo with Honorary Consul Thaneth Tantipiriyakij and several leaders of southern Thai provinces in front of the Honorary Consulate Office in Phuket. (Photo: Do Sinh/VNA).

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Pham Viet Hung emphasized that the establishment of the Honorary Consulate comes in the year Vietnam and Thailand celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He noted that after half a century of development, bilateral ties have continued to deepen and advance, particularly following the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Ambassador said the Honorary Consulate in Phuket will help strengthen connectivity between Vietnam and southern Thailand, one of the country's key economic and tourism hubs. It will also better meet the needs for consular protection, provide consular services, and support the Vietnamese community in the region.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Pham Viet Hung presented the appointment decision to Thaneth Tantipiriyakij as Vietnam's Honorary Consul in Phuket. He expressed confidence that the Honorary Consul would serve as an effective bridge to promote cooperation in economy, trade, investment, tourism, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and localities in southern Thailand.

For his part, Thaneth Tantipiriyakij pledged to fulfill his duties to the best of his ability and work closely with the Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand to support Vietnamese citizens, promote Vietnam's image, and strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Immediately after the inauguration ceremony, the "Vietnam Connect Phuket 2026" Forum was held with the participation of around 60 Vietnamese and Thai businesses to enhance trade and investment links. On this occasion, Vietnam Airlines also introduced its direct Ho Chi Minh City-Phuket route, operating four round-trip flights per week from July 2. A memorandum of cooperation was also signed between Kajonkiet International School (KIS) Phuket and Nobel School (Thanh Hoa).

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