Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phạm Việt Hùng. VNA/VNS Photo

BANGKOK – The upcoming official visit to Việt Nam by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from May 15 to 16 will be the first by a Thai government leader in 11 years, since PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s visit in 2014, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phạm Việt Hùng said in a recent interview with the Việt Nam News Agency's resident reporters in Bangkok.

Hùng said the visit comes at a crucial time, when the two countries are looking forward to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties (1976-2026), a significant milestone in the history of their relations. Against the backdrop of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership, which has seen comprehensive and substantive development across various fields, the visit is poised to elevate the two countries' ties to a new height in a more practical and effective manner.

During the visit, made at the invitation of PM Phạm Minh Chính, PM Paetongtarn will co-chair the fourth Việt Nam - Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting, reflecting the high level of attention and shared determination to advance bilateral ties. Both sides will address existing issues and chart directions for all-round cooperation.

In the realm of political and diplomatic relations, the focus will be placed on measures to further foster political trust, facilitate the exchange of delegations and enhance collaboration through the Party, Government, National Assembly and local channels. Both nations will also work closely at global and regional forums, particularly within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.

The agenda also includes reviewing the progress of economic plans and initiatives, including the 'Three Connectivity' initiative; expanding cooperation to lift two-way trade to US$25 billion in a more balanced and sustainable manner, while encouraging Thai investments in Việt Nam’s priority sectors.

Cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges will also be a key focus, with plans to enhance locality-to-locality connections and boost cultural and tourism interactions. These aim to build a sustainable social foundation for bilateral friendship.

Beyond traditional areas for cooperation that have already yielded positive results, Hùng underscored untapped potential in emerging fields such as digital transformation, digital economy, renewable energy and green growth, which align with current development trends and each country's strategic priorities.

He described the visit as an important milestone, contributing to elevating Việt Nam–Thailand relations to new heights. It will help reinforce political trust and mutual understanding between the nations' leaders, presenting an opportunity to fully review cooperation areas, address obstacles and agree on major directions and specific measures to create fresh momentum for bilateral ties.

The cooperation agreements expected to be signed will pave the way for enhanced collaboration between localities, businesses and social organisations, while strengthening people-to-people connection, thereby solidifying the friendship and deepening cooperation across various fields, according to the ambassador. VNS