National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man chairs the official welcoming ceremony for President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand Sophon Zaram during his official visit to Vietnam from 5 - 7 August. (Photo: Dai bieu Nhan dan Newspaper)

Today, Thailand is home to three President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Sites in Udon Thani, Nakhon Phanom and Phichit, which stand as enduring symbols of the historic friendship and deep mutual respect between the two peoples.

In his speech titled "The Future of Thailand - Vietnam Relations After 50 Years of Diplomatic Ties," Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung stressed that Thailand holds a unique place in Vietnam's modern history as the only Southeast Asian country where President Ho Chi Minh lived and conducted revolutionary activities. During his stay in Thailand between 1928 and 1929, under the name Thau Chin, President Ho Chi Minh earned not only the respect and affection of the Vietnamese community but also the goodwill of many Thai people.

Thailand is also home to a large Vietnamese community and people of Vietnamese origin. With more than 100,000 members, the Vietnamese community in Thailand serves as an important bridge of friendship, maintaining close ties with their homeland while making active contributions to Thailand's socio-economic development. The community has preserved and promoted the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Sites, helping educate younger generations about patriotism while introducing Vietnam's historical and cultural values to international friends. These sites not only preserve historical memories but also connect the community and stand as vivid testimony to the friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and Thailand.

These historical and cultural links have strengthened people-to-people ties while also promoting economic cooperation. They are among the reasons why Thailand's first Vietnam Town was established in Udon Thani Province. At the same time, Thai culture has become increasingly familiar to the Vietnamese public, while Vietnam's traditional culture and tourism continue to attract growing interest among Thai visitors.

In 2025 alone, more than 1.1 million Vietnamese and Thai travellers visited each other's countries. This strong people-to-people connection has brought vitality, resilience and lasting significance to bilateral relations. At the local level, around 20 pairs of sister-city and sister-province partnerships have further expanded exchanges in education, culture, tourism and business.

Within people-to-people exchanges, the Vietnamese language has become an important bridge for friendship and cooperation, helping the peoples of both countries better understand one another. Once regarded simply as the language of a neighbouring country, Vietnamese is now considered a “strategic language” in Thailand, reflecting the steadily growing relationship between the two Southeast Asian nations. It is currently taught at universities across Thailand, contributing to stronger cultural exchanges and greater mutual understanding. An increasing number of Thai universities now offer Vietnamese language programmes.

The Vietnamese community in Thailand continues to organise activities connected to their homeland, preserve the Vietnamese language and national cultural identity, and promote the image of Vietnamese people as dynamic, compassionate and responsible, while making positive contributions to the friendship between the two countries.

During her recent working visit to Udon Thani Province in northeastern Thailand, home to a large Vietnamese community and many historical and cultural sites associated with President Ho Chi Minh, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang expressed confidence that the Vietnamese community in Thailand would continue to develop steadily, integrate successfully into local society, and serve as a positive force in strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries. She noted that vibrant people-to-people exchanges would lay a solid foundation for the continued development of bilateral cooperation.

Vietnam, Thailand Team Up for Stronger Maritime Security On the afternoon of August 29, in Hanoi, Major General Le Quang Dao, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard and Admiral Adoong Pan-Iam, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Command Center (Thai-MECC) co -chaired the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Conference between the Vietnam Coast Guard and Thai-MECC on cooperation in law enforcement at sea.

Thai Embassy Provides Assistance for Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association's Activities Thai Embassy in Vietnam presented THB 50,000 (USD 1,520) to support activities of Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association.