A discussion on investment in central Việt Nam is organised at the Meet Thailand in Đà Nẵng City. The event offers co-operative opportunities for investors from Thailand and local partners. VNS Photo Công Thành

ĐÀ NẴNG — Việt Nam and Thailand have been implementing action plans as part of the enhanced strategic partnership between the two countries, with a target of boosting bilateral trade turnover to US$25 billion.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Hằng stated at the opening ceremony of the Meet Thailand conference in the central city that the two countries have strengthened connections in the supply chain and business exchanges as well as development policy links between Việt Nam’s ‘Green’ Growth and Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green Economy.

“The Meet Thailand conference in Đà Nẵng is a positive move after two successful Meet Thailand events in the northern Lào Cai Province and central Quảng Trị province. It aims to exchange opportunities between the two countries, while promoting cooperation among ministries, industries, localities and businesses in Việt Nam and Thailand,” Hằng said.

“The event will offer initiatives in clearing barriers to cooperation and development links between the two countries,” she said.

Hằng said Đà Nẵng is a key gateway to the Asia Pacific and the East-West Economic Corridors connecting Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Việt Nam with good investment infrastructure.

Head of the Royal Thai Consulate General in HCM City Wiraka Moodhitaporn said the event would build links in support industries' supply chains between the two countries, local economies and small to medium-sized enterprises as well as strategic sustainable connections.

Customers visit at a pavilion in the exhibition on Thailand's goods in Đà Nẵng City. The central city hosted the Meet Thailand in building connection between local partners and Thai investors in tourism and hi-tech industries. Photo courtesy of Lê Lâm

“Thailand has remained as Việt Nam's largest trading partner in ASEAN, and ninth in the list of foreign investors in the country. Thai businesses have been building brands of quality, with responsible investors, community support and corporate social responsibility policies in every investment destination in Việt Nam,” Wiraka Moodhitaporn said.

“Thai businesses provide community support programmes and scholarships for localities in Việt Nam. Thailand, in cooperation with Đà Nẵng University, officially opened a Thai language course of study in 2006,” she said.

She noted that universities in Thailand will welcome students from Đà Nẵng to their international educational programmes.

Wiraka Moodhitaporn also said that Thailand and Vietnamese localities could promote cooperation in sustainable tourism and hi-tech agriculture.

Vice chairman of Cà Mau province, Nguyễn Minh Luân, shared that the Mekong Delta provinces in Việt Nam could build up a popular tourism service – 'One Road with three destinations' – with the northeast region of Thailand.

He said Cà Mau and Thailand could join hands in eco-tours, especially considering the available waterway conditions and sea-based economic development.

Nguyễn Thị Hoàng, vice chairman of Đồng Nai Province, said Thai investors have spent US$1.3 billion on 42 projects, or 3.7 per cent of the province's total foreign direct investment (FDI) capital.

A Thai participant reacts at a check-in site in the Meet Thailand, an investment promotion in Đà Nẵng City. Local businesses and Thailand's investors joined the event to explore co-operation opportunities. VNS Photo Công Thành

She said Amata Corporation Public Company was one of the first investors from Thailand in the province, starting in 1994.

According to Hoàng, Đồng Nai has been developing a port system, while the Long Thành International Airport project will soon begin construction.

Phạm Văn Trọng, vice chairman of Tiền Giang Province, proposed that Thai partners and Tiền Giang businesses could cooperate in hi-tech agriculture and fruit exports, while sharing solutions for saline intrusion and erosion prevention.

Pornchai Saibuangam, general director of Thai Viet Corporation, a livestock farm business, said the company has invested in Việt Nam's Quảng Nam Province.

He said the company could benefit from the competitive input cost of production and labour in Việt Nam.

“We are aware of environmental protection and business responsibilities to the local community in production,” Pornchai Saibuangam shared.

Paranyu Vitanakorn, accounting and finance director of Hi-tech Apparel company, said the firm has built 13 plants in Asia, including one in Quảng Nam, for garment production.

He said the company has also expanded its production lines in Quảng Nam due to good business conditions, especially the cost of labour.

“[The] airport and sea port system is available as well as favourable logistics services for exports. We can find raw material for manufacture locally rather than importing it,” Paranyu Vitanakorn said.

Đà Nẵng and Khon Kaen, Thailand signed a Memorandum of Understanding in tourism and investment in 2022.

Meanwhile national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has launched a direct Đà Nẵng-Bangkok route.