​Vietnam and Thailand are the two countries in Southeast Asia with similar cultures and a longlasting friendship. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1976 and began to prosper it after Prime Minister Pham Van Dong’s official visit to Thailand in September 1978, especially since 2013 when Vietnam and Thailand officially upgraded relations to a Strategic Partnership, bringing the bilateral relations to a new height of development.

Thailand has become the largest trade partner of Vietnam in ASEAN, with over $10 billion of investment capital registered in Vietnam; till 2018, there were 18 Vietnamese projects invested in Thailand; the bilateral turnover increased rapidly and the two countries aim to reach $20 billion by 2020. To date, 16 provinces and cities of Vietnam have built partnerships with provinces and cities of Thailand.

In addition to the economic cooperation, the two countries are also very interested in building a relationship of solidarity and friendship between the peoples of the two countries through exchanges of people with activities of the two friendship associations: Vietnam - Thailand and Thailand - Vietnam. This shows that the role of people-to-people diplomacy is very critical. As the world has been dramatically  changed in a complicated way, people exchange activities which the two Friendship Associations are conducting, are more essential than ever to maintain and consolidate peace, cooperation and friendship.

In Dong Nai, in 2015 the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association was established by the province. Since then activities of the Association have become a bridge creating a linkage of culture, promoting the development of cooperation, solidarity and friendship between the people of Dong Nai with the Royal Thai Consulate General and Thai enterprises in Dong Nai.

Every year, the Association organizes people exchange activities on the occasion of  big festivals of Thailand, the celebrations of important events in the bilateral relations such as the National Day, the traditional New Year, the Thai King's birthday, Uncle Ho’s birthday, the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In general, the activities attracted the attention and participation of the Royal Thai Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Thai businesspeople who are investing in Dong Nai Province, members of the Vietnam – Thailand Friendship Associations in the provinces of Ha Tinh, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City and members of the Association.

Mr. Apirat Sugondhabhirom - The Royal Thai Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City said at a get-together on the occasion of Thai traditional New Year 2019 organized by the Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association  that the friendly relations in the fields of society and culture, especially at the level of people-to-people, is the foundation for the development of the cooperation between Thailand and Vietnam. Therefore, the Royal Thai Consulate General has always focused on strengthening the connections at the level of people and is very excited during the past time the Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association of Dong Nai has implemented its role as a cultural Ambassador connecting the relationship between Thai people and Vietnamese one, helping make activities to strengthen cooperation at the level of people of the Consulate General successful and achieve its objectives.

Since its establishment the Association has undergone 3 office terms of the RoyalThai Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, and in any term, the Association is also highly valued by the Royal Thai Consul General thanks to its exciting and effective activities connecting members of the Association with the Royal Thai Consulate General and Thai businesses with their investments in Dong Nai.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thang - Deputy Director of Dong Nai Department of External Relations, Deputy Chairman of Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations appreciates and acknowledges the positive activities of the Vietnam - Thailand   Friendship Association in recent years. The Association has become a bridge of friendship between the people of Vietnam with Thai people through activities of friendly exchanges with the Royal Thai Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Thai people who are doing business in the province. However, the Association also needs to expand its connection with Thai businesses who are investing in the province so that its activities will have more practical results.

With its achievements, in the coming time the Provincial Vietnam - Thailand Friendship Association will continue to do more with more practical and effective activities to reinforce, expand and develop the traditional friendly relationships between Dong Nai and Thai localities in particular, between the two peoples of Vietnam and Thailand in general.

HO TAM