HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a formal welcome ceremony for Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi this morning, April 16.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is on an official visit to Vietnam from May 15 to 16 at the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
The visit comes as the two countries prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1976–2026) and as their enhanced strategic partnership continues to grow positively.
This marks the first official visit to Vietnam by a Thai prime minister in 11 years, and Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s first Vietnam visit in her capacity as Thailand’s prime minister.
At the welcome ceremony held at the Presidential Palace this morning, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra attended a flag-raising ceremony, reviewed the guard of honor of the Vietnam People’s Army, and watched a military parade.
Following the welcome ceremony, the two prime ministers held a private meeting and co-chaired the 4th Vietnam–Thailand Joint Cabinet Meeting. They are also scheduled to witness the signing and exchange of cooperation documents and hold a joint press briefing.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn is expected to meet with Party General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, and take part in other official activities.
Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner within ASEAN. In 2024, two-way trade reached over US$20.2 billion, up 6.6% from 2023.
In terms of investment, Thailand has 761 active projects in Vietnam with a total registered capital of more than US$14.8 billion, ranking ninth among 149 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, and second among ASEAN investors after Singapore.
