Thai King Honors Ho Chi Minh During Landmark State Visit to Vietnam

The King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, and Queen Suthida concluded a state visit to Vietnam from September 14-16, a trip that saw the monarch pay tribute to President Ho Chi Minh. The visit was made at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife. Upon arrival at the National Assembly House in Hanoi on Tuesday, the King was honored with a 21-gun salute. He subsequently held talks with Party General Secretary and President To Lam, and met separately with Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. This state visit marks the first by a Thai king to Vietnam since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1976. The King had previously visited Vietnam twice as Crown Prince, in 1992 and 1997. Vietnam and Thailand elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on May 16, 2025. An action program to implement this partnership from 2026 to 2031 was signed on May 28 this year, underscoring a commitment to further cooperation. Thailand stands as Vietnam's largest trading partner within ASEAN. Two-way trade reached $22.1 billion in 2025, representing a 9% increase from 2024, and exceeded $15 billion in the first seven months of this year. More than 100,000 Vietnamese reside in Thailand, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Vietnamese students pursuing studies or research there, highlighting significant people-to-people ties.