Following the official welcoming ceremony at the Government House in Bangkok on 28/5, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held talks with General Secretary and President To Lam. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Anutin emphasized that the General Secretary and President's visit demonstrates a high level of political trust between the two nations.

General Secretary and President To Lam holds talks with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok on 28/5. Photo: VNA

The two leaders expressed their readiness to cooperate, support mutual development, and further deepen the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This includes continued enhancement of political trust through maintaining high-level and various-level exchanges.

Both sides agreed to promote defense-security cooperation, enhance coordination in combating transnational crime, cybercrime, and drug trafficking, and collaborate on ensuring maritime security and safety.

General Secretary and President To Lam urged both sides to uphold and implement the commitment not to allow any individual or organization to use one country's territory to act against the other. He also called for early negotiations and signing of an Extradition Agreement and a Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement in criminal matters.

Prime Minister Anutin stressed that Thailand strictly prohibits the use of its territory to act against friendly nations.

Economically, Vietnam and Thailand will boost complementary cooperation and connectivity. They aim to increase bilateral trade turnover from the current 22 billion USD to 25 billion USD, striving for balanced and sustainable growth. This includes accelerating licensing procedures and opening markets for potential agricultural products.

Prime Minister Anutin supported and encouraged businesses from both countries to enhance cooperation. He also commended the effective operations of Vietnamese enterprises in Thailand and welcomed more Vietnamese investors to the country.

General Secretary and President To Lam at the talks. Photo: VNA

General Secretary and President To Lam proposed that both sides promptly establish a joint working group to develop a plan and effectively implement the important "Three Connections" Strategy. This strategy encompasses: connecting supply chains, connecting businesses and localities, and connecting sustainable development strategies.

Both sides also need to strengthen transport and logistics connectivity, and expand cooperation in new areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, digital economy, green economy, innovation, and just energy transition.

Regarding science and technology cooperation, especially in new fields like artificial intelligence and semiconductor technology, the Thai Prime Minister proposed that both sides explore joint projects in biotechnology and microbiology technology. Thailand expressed readiness to share its experience with Vietnam in applying space technology and satellite utilization.

The two leaders emphasized the importance of enhancing people-to-people exchanges, cultural cooperation, education, tourism, and local collaboration.

The two countries will continue to facilitate the Vietnamese community in Thailand and the Thai community in Vietnam. They will also boost the teaching of Vietnamese in Thailand and Thai in Vietnam to foster mutual understanding, and preserve and promote historical and cultural sites linked to the friendship between the two nations, including President Ho Chi Minh memorial sites in Thailand.

Both sides will continue to coordinate closely, support each other in regional and international forums, promote ASEAN's central role, strengthen intra-bloc solidarity, and enhance cooperation within the APEC framework and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.

Vietnam and Thailand also underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight. They committed to resolving disputes by peaceful means based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

The two leaders witness the signing ceremony of cooperation documents between the two countries. Photo: Government of Thailand

Following the talks, General Secretary and President To Lam and Thai Prime Minister Anutin witnessed the signing of the Action Program for implementing the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2026-2031 period, and exchanged cooperation documents in science and technology, and education.

General Secretary and President To Lam paid an official visit to Thailand from 27-29/5. This marks the first visit to an ASEAN country by the General Secretary and President in his new capacity. The visit takes place as relations between the two countries were upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2025.

Huyen Le