Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chairs the welcome ceremony for Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Hà Nội on May 16. — Photo from the Thai Government

HÀ NỘI — Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra concluded her official visit to Việt Nam on May 16 evening, marking a new chapter in the relations between the two Southeast Asian countries.

She was seen off at the Nội Bài International Airport by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyễn Mạnh Cường, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phạm Việt Hùng.

During the two-day visit, made at the invitation of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, the Thai PM paid tribute to President Hồ Chí Minh at his mausoleum and laid a wreath at the monument to war heroes and martyrs on Bắc Son street in Hà Nội.

She had meetings with Việt Nam's top leaders, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Tô Lâm, State President Lương Cường, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn.

PM Phạm Minh Chính hosted a red-carpet welcome ceremony and co-chaired the fourth Việt Nam – Thailand Joint Cabinet Retreat with the Thai guest. The two PMs witnessed the signing and handover of eight cooperation documents across the domains of economy, security, and education. They also co-chaired the Việt Nam – Thailand Business Forum.

At the meetings, the Vietnamese leaders praised the significance of the trip, which marked Shinawatra’s first since she took office as well as the first joint cabinet meeting between the countries' PMs in nearly a decade.  They emphasised Thailand’s position as a close neighbour, important partner and companion that shares strategic values and concerns.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shinawatra affirmed Việt Nam as one of Thailand's leading partners in the region and highlighted that the joint cabinet mechanism is reserved exclusively for Thailand’s neighbours, including Việt Nam. She expressed her hope for the deeper and more substantive bilateral ties.

Both sides exchanged their notes on the bilateral relations in the spirit of friendship, sincerity, and mutual trust. They expressed their satisfaction with the strong development of their Strategic Partnership over the recent past and concurred to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The move opens a new chapter in their history, reflecting long-term vision, strategic trust, and shared aspirations for a future of cohesion and sustainable development.

The enhanced partnership is built upon three main pillars, namely partnership for sustainable peace, partnership for sustainable development, and partnership for a sustainable future.  

On the occasion, the two Government leaders announced the joint statement on the elevation of the Việt Nam – Thailand relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting shared expectations for increasingly profound and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. — VNA/VNS