Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on June 8 hosted an official welcoming ceremony at Government Headquarters for Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and a high-level delegation of the Royal Thai Government on their official visit to Vietnam and participation in the ASEAN Future Forum.

Welcoming Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on his first visit to Vietnam, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung personally greeted his Thai counterpart as he arrived at the venue.

After receiving flowers from children in Hanoi, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung walked along the red carpet toward the ceremonial platform as students waved the national flags of Thailand and Vietnam.

Under the national flags of the two countries, the national anthems of Thailand and Vietnam were played as the two leaders stepped onto the platform.

In a solemn atmosphere, the two prime ministers saluted the flags before Prime Minister Le Minh Hung invited Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to inspect the Honour Guard of the Vietnam People's Army. The two leaders then introduced members of their respective high-level delegations attending the ceremony.

Following the welcoming ceremony, the two prime ministers viewed a photo exhibition featuring the countries, peoples, and longstanding friendship between Vietnam and Thailand before holding official talks.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs and paid tribute at the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh.

The year 2026 holds special significance as Vietnam and Thailand commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's visit comes just 10 days after General Secretary and State President To Lam paid an official visit to Thailand.

The visit serves as a vivid demonstration of the importance Thailand places on further advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

During the talks, the two sides reaffirmed their goal of increasing bilateral trade to USD 25 billion. According to figures from the Thai government, current two-way trade has already reached around USD 24 billion.

Vietnam and Thailand also agreed to pursue cooperation under the "Three Connects" strategy, encompassing production connectivity, infrastructure connectivity, and transformation connectivity.

According to the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand, during his two-day visit Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will meet Vietnam's senior leaders and representatives of Thai private-sector businesses operating in Vietnam. Discussions will focus on supporting business expansion and exploring new opportunities in one of ASEAN's most dynamic manufacturing and consumer markets.

On June 9, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will attend the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Future Forum. This marks the first time a Thai prime minister has directly participated in the forum, reflecting Bangkok's strong support for the initiative and its close relationship with Vietnam.

Tran Thuong