The 13th annual joint meeting between the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association (VTFA) and the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association (TVFA) was held in Chonburi Province, Thailand, on September 13. 

Delegates attending the meeting.

The meeting aimed to evaluate the cooperation results from the previous meeting, and to discuss and agree on long-term cooperation orientations and specific cooperation activities in the coming time.

TVFA President Sanan Angubolkul shared his condolences for the great losses and difficulties caused by Typhoon Yagi in many localities in Vietnam.

He also affirmed that through people-to-people diplomacy activities, they will contribute to consolidating and soon elevating the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Thailand, as they strive to build the relationship between the two associations into a typical model of people-to-people diplomacy.

Sanan Angubolkul, President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, and the delegation from the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association.

VTFA President Dr Nguyen Van Thanh, who is also a Senior Lieutenant General, Associate Professor, former member of the Party Central Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Central Theory Council, expressed his joy at the positive developments in the relationship between the two countries in many fields such as trade, tourism, and culture, especially the opening of the first official Vietnam Town in Thailand and the establishment of two Vietnam Studies Centres at the Royal University of Udon Thani and the College of Asian Scholars in Khon Kaen Province.

On the occasion, Nguyen Van Thanh also sent his regards and shared about the difficulties encountered by Thai people in the Northeast region of Thailand during the recent floods.

An overview of meetin

Over the past year, the two associations have closely coordinated to organise many activities that have contributed significantly to strengthening the close, friendly and cooperative relationship between the two countries, including exchanging delegations.

The two sides agreed to strengthen a number of cooperation activities in the coming time, such as donating ultrasound machines to the Nam Dan District Medical Centre in Nghe An Province; and cooperating in human resource training through projects such as English training exchanges, thus promoting the effectiveness of Vietnamese study centres.

The Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association will coordinate and support Vietnamese students to study and intern at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).

They also agreed to participate in the celebration of the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth organised by the association of Thai people of Vietnamese origin in Nakhon Phanom; the introduction of OCOP and OTOP products in Udon Thani Province; and the 14th annual joint meeting of the VTFA and the TVFA in Vietnam in 2025.

During the visit, the delegation of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association attended a seminar on the "Three Connections" strategy between Vietnam and Thailand.

Emphasising the importance of implementing the initiative, the Thai side affirmed that it would prioritise resources and promote many existing advantages between the two countries, especially the special relationship between the two peoples, to connect the Vietnam-Thailand sustainable development strategy for the prosperous development of the two countries and the region.

(Source: NDO)