The visit by King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua (Rama X) and Queen Suthida takes place from 14-16/9, at the invitation of General Secretary, President To Lam and his spouse.
Welcoming the royal delegation at the airport were Head of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Hanoi Chairman Vu Dai Thang, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung.
Accompanying the King of Thailand were Prime Minister and accompanying Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya, and other senior officials.
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The King of Thailand piloted a private jet landing at Noi Bai on 14/9. Photo: Giang Huy |
King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua (Rama X), aged 74, ascended the throne in 2016. During his service in the Royal Thai Army, he held various command and key positions.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn was a pilot in the Thai military, flying both civilian and military aircraft. Queen Suthida was a flight attendant for JALways and Thai Airways before joining the military in 2008.
Both the King and Queen of Thailand are certified pilots. They can operate various aircraft and hold commercial pilot licenses (CPL) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung stated that this state visit by the King and Queen of Thailand to Vietnam holds significant importance. It marks a new historical milestone in the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand over the past 50 years.
This is the first state visit by a King and Queen of Thailand to Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established in 1976. For King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, this also marks their first visit to Vietnam as the King and Queen of Thailand.
Previously, King Maha Vajiralongkorn visited Vietnam in 1992 and 1997 as Crown Prince.
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King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua arrived in Hanoi on 14/9. Photo: Giang Huy |
Vietnam and Thailand upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on 16/5/2025. They signed an action program for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2026-2031 period on 28/5.
Thailand is currently Vietnam's largest trading partner in ASEAN. In 2025, total two-way trade reached 22.1 billion USD, a 9% increase from 2024. In the first 7 months of 2026, total two-way trade exceeded 15.03 billion USD.
The Vietnamese community in Thailand numbers over 100,000 people. The number of Vietnamese students and scholars studying in Thailand ranges from 2,000-3,000.
Ngoc Anh
