HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese customers will get access to many of Thailand’s internationally recognised brands at the Top Thai Brands 2017, which began in Hà Nội on Thursday.

The exhibition, formerly known as the Thailand Week trade fair, will continue till August 20.

This year, two days of the event (August 17 and 18) is dedicated for trade, while the other two days (August 19 and 20) are open to the public, with the aim of creating favourable conditions for trade promotion as well as for businesses to meet and introduce products and services resourced from Thailand.

Jointly organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Thai commerce ministry and the Royal Thai Embassy in Hà Nội in co-operation with the Việt Nam National Trade Fair and Advertising Company (VINEXAD), the fair is one among many collaborative activities between the two countries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Wanthanee Viputwongsaku, deputy ambassador of the Royal Thai Embassy in Hà Nội, said the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Thailand-Việt Nam diplomatic relations was in 2016. The embassy had co-ordinated with Vietnamese State and private agencies to organise many activities in various fields to further tighten the co-operation between the two nations.

This year, the embassy has been continuously organising various activities to continue promoting co-operation with Việt Nam in all fields, strengthen partnerships and tighten trade ties, she said.

Viputwongsaku said Thailand and Việt Nam have been important economic partners of each other for a long time. The Top Thai Brands 2017 exhibition aims to create a platform for both Vietnamese and Thai enterprises to enlarge their networks and further develop strategic partnerships, she added.

On August 19 and 20, the two days when the fair is open to the public, there will be 192 booths exhibiting various products and services from Thailand, put up by Thai companies and their agents in Việt Nam. These will include food and beverages, household products, baby products, fashion products, electronic appliances, automotive products, healthcare and beauty products and trade services.

Other activities on the sidelines include fruit and vegetable carving, fresh flower handwork, Thai cooking demonstration and Thai dances performed by professional artists from Thailand.

The event is being held at the Hà Nội International Exhibition Centre (I.C.E), Friendship Cultural Palace, on Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Hoàn Kiếm District. — VNS