H.E. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, paid an official visit to Thailand at the invitation of General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand, from 17 to 19 August 2017.

           On 17 August 2017, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Government House. The two Prime Ministers discussed ways and means to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Viet Nam in all areas. On security cooperation, both sides affirmed their supports for the establishment of coordination channels between agencies concerned, and agreed to enhance cooperation on intelligence exchange and the combat against transnational crimes. Both sides expressed their commitment to suppress and to end Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, on which the Thai side reaffirmed its willingness to exchange experiences with Viet Nam. On economic cooperation, the two sides agreed to work closely towards achieving the bilateral trade target of 20 billion USD by 2020, as well as to enhance agricultural cooperation and to promote quality investment between the two countries. The two Prime Ministers reemphasized the importance of establishing closer land, sea, and air connectivity, which will help increase trade, investment, and tourism in the sub-region. On multilateral issues, both Prime Ministers stressed the need for a strong and united ASEAN with a peaceful solution to disputes related to the South China Sea. Prime Minister Prayut expressed his support for Viet Nam’s 2017 APEC Chairmanship and reaffirmed his willingness to attend the APEC Summit to be held in Da Nang in November 2017. Upon conclusion of  the meeting, Prime Minister Prayut urged both sides to expedite cooperation in all areas in order to achieve tangible outcomes soonest. The Thai Prime Minister also reassured Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc that Thai citizens with Vietnamese descendants are equally well taken care of as all Thai citizens.

            During the visit, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid a courtesy call on President of the Privy Council and President of the National Legislative Assembly, met with high-level executive representatives from Thai business sector, and attended a business forum “Viet Nam – Thailand Economic Cooperation Forum” and the opening ceremony of “Vietnamese Goods Week in Thailand”. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also travelled to Nakhon Phanom Province where he attend a roundtable business forum, visited President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site and met with Thai communities with Vietnamese descendants.

            The Official Visit to Thailand of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc strengthens the friendly relations between the two countries, as well as enhances the Strategic Partnership between Thailand and Viet Nam in all aspects for the benefits of the two peoples. To expedite the implementation progress of the meeting outcomes, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc invited Prime Minister Prayut and the Cabinet to the 4^th Thailand – Viet Nam Joint Cabinet Retreat (JCR) to be held in Viet Nam in 2018, and in this regard, asked the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries to closely coordinate in the preparation for the meeting.