The King and Queen will visit Vietnam from September 14-16.

This will be King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s first visit to Vietnam as Thailand’s monarch.

Members of the Thai Royal Family have visited Vietnam on numerous occasions. In particular, while serving as Crown Prince, King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua visited Vietnam in 1992 and 1997, milestones that helped strengthen friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries.

Political and diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand have developed positively, underpinned by growing trust and increasingly substantive cooperation.

The two countries officially upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on May 16, 2025. Their friendship and multifaceted cooperation have continued to deepen, supported by regular high-level exchanges and contacts.

During the official visit to Thailand by Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife in May, the two sides signed an Action Programme to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for 2026-2031. On the occasion, To Lam and his wife also met with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the Queen.

Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. In 2025, two-way trade reached US$22.1 billion, up 9% from 2024. In the first seven months of 2026, bilateral trade exceeded US$15.03 billion, an increase of 22% from the same period in 2025.

In terms of investment, Thailand currently has 813 active projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of more than US$15.4 billion, ranking eighth among 153 countries and territories investing in Vietnam and second among ASEAN countries.

The two countries are working to develop concrete measures to implement their “Three Connects” strategy: connecting supply chains; connecting businesses and localities in the two countries; and connecting their sustainable growth strategies.

In 2024, more than 984,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Thailand, while over 418,000 Thai tourists travelled to Vietnam. In 2025, more than 660,300 Vietnamese tourists visited Thailand, ranking Vietnam 17th among its source markets, while nearly 458,000 Thai visitors travelled to Vietnam, placing Thailand 11th among Vietnam’s source markets.

Twenty Vietnamese provinces and cities have signed cooperation or twinning agreements with localities in Thailand.

The Vietnamese community in Thailand numbers more than 100,000 people. While they live across the country, most are concentrated in northeastern provinces. The number of Vietnamese students studying and conducting research in Thailand ranges from around 2,000 to 3,000.

The Thai government has recognised the legal status of the Vietnamese community in terms of residency and employment. In some localities, overseas Vietnamese have established a certain degree of social standing, influence and respect. The Vietnamese community in Thailand has a strong revolutionary and patriotic tradition, holds President Ho Chi Minh in deep respect and maintains close ties with the homeland. The community has also made significant contributions to Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation and reunification, as well as to the country’s subsequent development.

Tran Thuong