“Meet Thailand” conference marks diplomatic ties and strategic partnership

The event was organised by the Lao Cai provincial People's Committee in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai Embassy in Vietnam and drew the participation of key stakeholders with a view to further deepening bilateral ties.

The conference aims to enhance the “Three connections” strategy which was adopted by both nations’ senior leaders.

The strategy includes the deeper integration of supply chains in supporting industries, collaboration between small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local communities and greater alignment in sustainable development goals, and merging Thailand's bio-circular-green (BCG) economy with green Vietnamese initiatives.

It attracted representatives from 14 provinces and business associations in the nation’s northern midlands and mountainous areas, thereby serving as a vital platform for exploring investment opportunities.

Nguyen Nhu Hieu, director general of the Department of Foreign Affairs under the Foreign Ministry, highlighted Thailand's role as the nation’s largest trade partner in ASEAN and a leading foreign investor, with last year’s two-way trade exceeding US$20 billion. He therefore expressed confidence that both sides will soon achieve the US$25 billion trade target, with northern Vietnam as a priority for Thai investments.

Ambassador Urawadee Sriphiromya noted the growing interest of Thai businesses in Vietnam, particularly in sectors such as retail, energy, agriculture, and tourism.

The event also featured exhibitions, business networking sessions, and discussions on key topics like economic connectivity and sustainable tourism with the aim of advancing the bilateral business ties.