Strengthening Vietnam – Thailand Friendship by Networking, People-to-People Exchange

The President of Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Association Nguyen Van Thanh welcomed the delegation of the Thailand – Vietnam Friendship Association, led by its President Sanan Angubolkul on their work visit to Vietnam on the occasion of the 10th founding anniversary of Vietnam – Thailand strategic partnership.

The two Associations informed each other about the program of activities in 2023 (Photo: Thu Ha)

Among the upcoming bilateral cooperation activities discussed at the meeting, the Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Association proposed the 12th annual joint conference between the two Associations by the end of the third quarter of 2023. The President of Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Association Nguyen Van Thanh said that the 12th annual joint conference will be carried out together with the 2nd Vietnam-Thailand People’s Friendship Festival. By the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, there will be a scientific conference in coordination with the Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Association of Thua Thien Hue province.

Thanh reaffirmed that the establishment of the Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Association in Thai Nguyen province will soon be realized, to promote the friendship and cooperation between the two sister provinces Thai Nguyen and Udon Thani. In May 2023, a delegation of the Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Association led by the President of the Association will go to Thailand on a work visit

According to Thanh, the current global and regional context is complex with many issues, namely environmental pollution, natural disasters, epidemics, free migration, transnational crime, human trafficking. Countries must actively cooperate, especially in the field of people-to-people diplomacy, to respond and reduce risks to countries, territories, communities.

He emphasized that, despite many difficulties and challenges, the long-term tradition of cooperation and the efforts of the government, businesses and people are an important foundation for continuing to bring Vietnam-Thailand relations to the next level. new development.

In response, President of the Thailand – Vietnam Friendship Association, President of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) Sanan Angubolkul affirmed that the two associations play an important role in building and promoting Thailand – Vietnam relations in all fields, especially between private businesses and people-to-people exchanges..

Also, he discussed the pending cooperation agreement between Udon Thani province (Thailand) and Thai Nguyen province (Vietnam) and said that the two associations need to be ready so that after the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation between these two localities is signed, the cooperation programs will be immediately implemented. There needs to be coordination between two Associations to implement activities to connect small and medium enterprises of Thailand and Vietnam in the distribution channels, to organize community benefit projects…

In addition, the two Associations will coordinate to organize the Thailand – Vietnam Business Forum 2023. This is an opportunity for businesses of the two countries to meet, exchange information with each other, and at the same time promote the signing of MOUs between young Thai and Viet businesses, support job seekers.

The Thailand – Vietnam Friendship Association will also organize exchange activities in the field of innovation; sending volunteer doctors to Vietnam for medical examination and treatment; provide scholarships to Vietnamese students. In particular, it will organize the first ever student exchange project for Thai students to exchange in Vietnam and vice versa by the third quarter of 2023.

Delegations from Thailand and Vietnam at the meeting (Photo: Thu Ha).

Both sides agreed that two Associations would meet every six months to coordinate the implementation of the discussed plans.