At the meeting, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha expressed his pleasure at visiting and working with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in the context of Vietnam and Thailand moving toward the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (August 6, 1976 – 2026). He emphasized that bilateral ties have developed steadily in recent years, yielding numerous positive outcomes.
Providing an update on Ho Chi Minh City following its administrative consolidation, he noted that the city is currently the largest urban center in the country, covering more than 6,700 square kilometers with a population exceeding 14 million. Its GRDP accounts for nearly 25 percent of the national GDP, while budget revenues surpass VND800 trillion (US$30.3 billion), equivalent to nearly one-third of total national revenues. The city also leads the country in import-export turnover and foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction.
In order to further promote Ho Chi Minh City–Bangkok relations in 2026, toward the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, he proposed that both sides intensify delegation exchanges, step up trade, investment, and tourism promotion, and organize cultural, artistic, and people-to-people exchange activities.
On this occasion, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha respectfully invited the Governor of Bangkok to attend three international events scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City in 2026, namely the 20th International Travel Expo, the 3rd Ho Chi Minh City Friendship Dialogue, and the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City Autumn Economic Forum.
Speaking at the reception, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt welcomed the delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, highly appreciating the city’s socio-economic development achievements as well as its implementation of the two-tier local government model. He also expressed confidence that the visit would further deepen the cooperative relationship between the two localities, which established their sister-city ties in 2015.
The Bangkok Governor commended Ho Chi Minh City’s role and standing as a frequent host of major international events and expressed his desire to enhance coordination in organizing cultural and tourism activities on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Thailand–Vietnam relations. He added that Bangkok would consider dispatching appropriate delegations to attend events in Ho Chi Minh City in 2026.
On the same day, the delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee visited the Embassy of Viet Nam in Thailand and held working sessions with several major Thai economic groups planning to invest in Ho Chi Minh City.
Receiving the delegation were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Thailand, Pham Viet Hung, along with embassy staff.
On behalf of the delegation, Standing Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha conveyed warm regards from the homeland to the ambassador, embassy officials, and the Vietnamese community in Thailand.
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