The forum was jointly organised by Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, senior officials from both countries and representatives of nearly 700 Vietnamese and Thai businesses also attended the event.

Opening the forum, the Thai PM said the world is facing volatility, uncertainty and rapid changes, while technological advances, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy and green industries, are rapidly reshaping the global economic structure.

Countries need to adapt quickly to maintain competitiveness and prepare for the future economy, he said.

In the context of current uncertainties, ASEAN member states need to strengthen cooperation and rely more on one another to enhance resilience and respond to impacts from outside the region, he said, adding that Thailand and Vietnam play important roles in promoting regional economic development.

According to the Thai PM, Thailand and Vietnam are closely linked and interdependent, with both countries benefiting from each other’s development.

Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN, while Vietnam is Thailand’s second-largest trading partner in the bloc. Bilateral trade has reached nearly US$24 billion and is approaching the target of US$25 billion. Thailand is also Vietnam’s eighth-largest foreign investor.

Thailand and Vietnam are both accelerating economic reforms to create “new growth engines” through high-tech sectors such as semiconductors, electric vehicles, the digital economy, smart food and agriculture, the medical economy and clean energy.

Future cooperation should therefore focus on preparing for the future economy, particularly in the green economy, renewable energy, digital transformation, science-technology and innovation, he said.

Anutin Charnvirakul noted that cooperation between Thailand and Vietnam would not achieve success without the strong role of the private sector, which serves as a key driver of trade, investment and economic connectivity between the two nations.

He expressed pleasure at attending the forum and witnessing the exchange of business agreements between enterprises from the two countries, while voicing hope that Thailand-Vietnam friendship will continue to grow and contribute to sustainable development and prosperity in both countries.

Addressing the forum, To Lam said the event was a major highlight of his official visit to Thailand, demonstrating the determination of both countries to deepen the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in a substantive and effective manner.

“If political relations create a foundation of trust, economic cooperation must generate momentum for development. If the governments of the two countries pave the way, businesses from both countries must take the lead in turning commitments into projects, potential into value and friendship into practical benefits for the people of both countries,” he emphasized.

To Lam stressed that Vietnam and Thailand are two important ASEAN economies with a strong friendship, deepening political trust and increasingly intertwined development interests.

As the two countries prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026, the upgrade of bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2025 has opened a new stage of cooperation with higher requirements in terms of vision, quality and practical effectiveness, he said.

The two sides are actively implementing the 2025-2030 Action Programme to concretise new strategic cooperation orientations between the two countries.

The world is entering a period of profound restructuring, To Lam said, noting that supply chains are being reorganised, while digital technology, AI, green transition, the circular economy and energy security are reshaping the competitive advantages of nations.

In that context, Vietnam and Thailand need to move beyond traditional bilateral cooperation thinking and jointly create a complementary economic space in which the two countries do not compete separately but instead enhance each other’s position in ASEAN value chains, ASEAN resilience and sustainable regional growth.

Highlighting the development strengths of the two countries, To Lam said one side possesses strong growth momentum while the other has experience and depth. If these advantages are connected through a new vision, Vietnam and Thailand could jointly develop supply chains, production and distribution hubs, trade and service platforms, and new growth drivers for both countries and ASEAN.

Economic cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand has become increasingly substantive and in-depth in recent years, he said, but noted that the current achievements remain only an initial foundation, with considerable untapped potential still remaining.

Trade still mainly relies on goods exchange, while two-way investment has yet to fully reflect the capabilities of businesses from both countries. Production links, digital finance, tourism and services also remain fragmented, while the synergy value within ASEAN supply chains has yet to become fully evident.

To Lam proposed that the business communities of both countries focus on building Vietnam-Thailand value chains within the ASEAN economic space.

Bilateral cooperation should move beyond conventional goods exchange towards joint production, processing, distribution and brand-building, stressed.

Based on complementary strengths in agriculture, food, consumer goods, retail, energy, tourism and services, the two sides could deepen links in production, e-commerce, green standards and traceability to create new products, supply chains and values carrying an ASEAN identity.

The two countries need to enhance the “three connections” of production connectivity, infrastructure connectivity and transformation connectivity to help shape a complementary economic space between Vietnam and Thailand.

These three connections would help Vietnam and Thailand evolve from a conventional market relationship into mutually supportive links in ASEAN’s new production, service and growth networks.

Economic cooperation should also become more closely linked to people’s daily lives through tourism, services and digital finance, To Lam added.

Thailand and Vietnam should strengthen air connectivity, joint tourism routes, retail, cuisine, culture and education links alongside cross-border QR payments, e-wallets, digital commerce and digital finance.

“When Vietnamese tourists can make convenient payments in Bangkok, and Thai tourists can shop easily in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang or Phu Quoc, economic cooperation will no longer be limited to policy directions but become part of every transaction, product and concrete business opportunity,” he said.

To Lam proposed that following the forum, the two sides should quickly draw up a list of priority projects for the 2026-2030 period covering logistics, agriculture, food, clean energy, digital commerce, tourism and workforce training in order to translate cooperation visions into concrete outcomes.

He affirmed that Vietnam always regards the success of foreign investors as part of its own success and values the long-term, serious and effective presence of Thai businesses in Vietnam, considering them important bridges between the two economies and business communities.

The country is becoming a more stable, transparent, open and predictable investment destination, while focusing on improving institutions, infrastructure and human resources, promoting digital and green transition, and advancing administrative reform, he went on.

It also pledges to protect the legitimate rights and interests of investors, listening to businesses, accompanying them and working together to resolve difficulties.

To Lam expressed hope that businesses from both countries would enter a new chapter of cooperation with longer-term vision, more innovative thinking and a stronger sense of development responsibility.

Vietnam-Thailand cooperation should be measured through concrete projects, new technologies, new jobs, higher value-added products and more practical contributions to people, thereby creating fresh impetus for a dynamic, resilient and connected ASEAN, he stressed.

On the occasion, To Lam, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and senior leaders of the two countries witnessed Vietnam Airlines announce a new direct route linking Ho Chi Minh City and Phuket.

The route will begin operations in July 2026 using Airbus A321 aircraft with four flights per week in a bid to promote tourism, exchanges and trade between the two countries.

Vietjet also marked its 50 millionth passenger milestone and officially announced a fleet development programme involving 50 Boeing 737-8 aircraft for Thai Vietjet on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Thailand diplomatic relations.

At the forum, To Lam, PM Anutin Charnvirakul and senior leaders of Vietnam and Thailand also witnessed the exchange of 17 strategic memoranda of understanding between businesses from the two countries.

Official welcome ceremony for Vietnam’s top leader in Thailand

VOV.VN - A formal welcome ceremony for Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, his spouse and a high-level Vietnamese delegation was held at the Thai Government House in Bangkok on the morning of May 28, hosted by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his spouse.

OVs in Thailand, Singapore, Philippines act as friendship bridges: official

The overseas Vietnamese (OV) communities in Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines are playing a growing bridging role in fostering friendship and cooperation between their host countries and the homeland, said Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Nguyen Trung Kien.

Vietnam, Thailand agree to expand cooperation in potential areas

VOV.VN - Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul co-chaired a press conference following the high-level talks on May 28 to announce the key outcomes of the talks and witness the exchange of memoranda of understanding and cooperation documents between ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries.