Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phạm Việt Hùng speaks at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo Đỗ Sinh

BANGKOK — The Vietnamese Association in Bangkok and surrounding areas held a get-together on Wednesday to celebrate the 81st anniversary of Việt Nam's National Day (September 2) and the 50th anniversary of Việt Nam-Thailand diplomatic relations.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Phạm Việt Hùng thanked the Vietnamese community in Thailand for its contributions as an important bridge in Việt Nam-Thailand relations, which, he said, are at their best stage in history. He called on the community to continue working with the governments, businesses and people of both countries to enhance mutual trust, understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation, thus contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Highlighting the consistent policy of the Party and State that Vietnamese people living abroad are an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation, the ambassador said the Politburo's recently-issued Resolution No. 23 on overseas Vietnamese affairs reaffirmed this policy and set out new orientations to create favourable conditions for overseas Vietnamese to make greater contributions to national development.

The resolution also aims to encourage expatriates to preserve national cultural traditions, integrate and thrive in their host countries, and promote friendship and cooperation between Việt Nam and other nations, he noted.

Congratulating the Vietnamese Association in Bangkok and surrounding areas on the consolidation of its executive board, Hồ Văn Lâm, President of the Association of Vietnamese in Thailand and President of the Thailand-Việt Nam Business Association, said he hoped the association would continue to strengthen solidarity, develop the community, and enhance connectivity and coordination with Vietnamese associations across Thailand, thereby building a stronger Vietnamese community with an increasingly solid position in Thai society.

Sanan Angubokul, President of the Thailand-Việt Nam Friendship Association, who has been closely connected with the Vietnamese community for many years, said the association has maintained close coordination with public and private agencies in Thailand. It has also worked to support younger generations, particularly young Thai people of Vietnamese origin, in strengthening connections, cooperation and community activities.

The get-together took place in a joyful and festive atmosphere, with Vietnamese expatriates joining artists and a traditional orchestra from the HCM City Conservatory of Music in performing songs celebrating the homeland, the country and President Hồ Chí Minh. — VNA/VNS