The 10th joint conference of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association and the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association took place in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, on November 27.

An overview of the conference (Photo: VNA) 

President of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association Ta Quang Ngoc said the event marks the 10th anniversary of the conference, which was first held in Thailand’s Khon Ken city in March 2010.

Prapansak Bhatayanond, Vice President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, showed his delight at close relations between the two associations, contributing to the enhancement of the relationship between the two countries.

He said that the conference is a chance for both sides to seek cooperation measures for the following years.

The two sides noted that the Vietnam-Thailand partnership has grown strongly over the past decade. Thailand has become the biggest trade partner of Vietnam among ASEAN countries with two-way trade being on the rise in recent years. The two sides are striving to raise bilateral trade to 20 billion USD in 2020.

In 2018, more than 300,000 Thai tourists visited Vietnam and over 1 million Vietnamese travelled to Thailand. So far, 16 provinces and cities of Vietnam have set up twin relations with Thai localities.

Participants at the conference agreed on the future orientations by optimising the role and positions of the two associations in fostering people-to-people exchange between the two nations, thereby enhancing the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Thailand.

Both sides will work together in organising activities to mark the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2021. Meanwhile, they will continue working to promote the cooperation between the two countries in trade, investment, tourism, culture, education, and local collaboration.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong People’s Committee said that an air route connecting Da Lat and Bangkok was launched in December 2017 with 5-7 flights per week.

Lam Dong has actively sought partnerships with Thai partners, with the organisation of an investment, trade and tourism promotion conference in Bangkok in October 2018, which drew more than 300 delegates from Thai authorized agencies, businesses and investors.

Last year, Lam Dong welcomed about 40,000 Thai visitors. As of mid-November, the province served more than 36,000 Thai tourists, up 4.5 percent year on year, he added.

On the occasion, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) presented a Friendship Order of the Vietnamese State to Prapansak Bhatayanond, Vice President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, and a “For peace and  friendship between nations”  insignia of the VUFO to four members of the association.