HANOI, May 16th, 2025 — Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra concluded a two-day official visit to Vietnam on May 16th, marking her first trip to the country since taking office in August 2024. Invited by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Paetongtarn co-chaired the 4th Vietnam-Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting, elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Vietnam’s highest level of diplomatic engagement.
The visit, the first by a Thai prime minister in 11 years, focused on deepening cooperation in trade, security, and regional development. Key decisions included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade to boost bilateral trade to $25 billion, streamline non-tariff barriers, and enhance supply chains in agriculture, food processing, and digital technology. Both nations agreed to promote the “Three Connectivity” Strategy, focusing on infrastructure, tourism, and economic linkages, and to support the “Six Countries, One Destination” ASEAN tourism initiative.
Paetongtarn met with Vietnamese leaders, including Communist Party General Secretary To Lam and President Luong Cuong, to reinforce political trust and plan for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026. Discussions also covered combating transboundary crime, advancing green and digital economies, and fostering people-to-people exchanges, highlighted by an upcoming U17 women’s football friendly match.
The visit shows Thailand and Vietnam’s commitment to ASEAN unity amid global geopolitical tensions. With bilateral trade reaching $20.2 billion in 2024 and $5.16 billion in Q1 2025, the partnership aims for sustainable growth. Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung called the visit a “milestone,” setting a framework for future partnership.
