Sharing about the opening of Vietnam Town, Luong Xuan Hoa, Chairman of the Vietnamese People Association in Udon Thani, emotionally recalled the long journey with many efforts from the community, and the dedicated support and assistance of the local authorities as well as from the homeland of Vietnam.
Hoa recounted that, since becoming Chairman of the Vietnamese People Association in Udon Thani, he has always ached for the desire to build a Vietnam Town in the same area where many families of Vietnamese origin have lived for more than 100 years. Udon Thani is considered the capital of Vietnamese culture in Thailand, with more than 60,000 Vietnamese and overseas Vietnamese currently living.
The idea of Vietnam Town of Hoa and the overseas Vietnamese community in Udon Thani received enthusiastic support from Party and State leaders. The State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Khonkhaen and domestic sponsors and benefactors have accompanied people since the early days. Notably, the project received the support of the Monarchy of Thailand and the Udon Thani provincial government.
The local government has spent a budget of 3 million baht to embellish and upgrade the basic infrastructure of the neighborhood, according to the Chairman of the Vietnamese People Association in Udon Thani. The city's mayor personally inspected the progress of the project many times in the months before Vietnam Town was officially opened.
Hoa emphasised the pride of many overseas Vietnamese in Udon Thani about the birth of Vietnam Town, because neighborhoods with a large concentration of Vietnamese people have also been formed in many countries around the world, but Vietnam Town in Udon Thani is the first model named "Vietnam Town" and officially recognised by the local government.
Living right on Vietnam Town in Udon Thani, Xuan Oanh clearly feels the changes in the neighborhood throughout the past year and especially in the last days of 2023. The front wall of Xuan Oanh's house is decorated with decorative motifs. Painting of the Golden Bridge in Da Nang, Hoi An ancient town has become one of the favorite check-in spots for tourists on Vietnam Town.
Opposite Xuan Oanh's house is the newly inaugurated headquarters of the Vietnamese People Association of Udon Thani province. This is also the place where Xuan Oanh and other overseas Vietnamese teachers maintain Vietnamese classes and pass on the love of their homeland - Vietnam, to the young generation.
Xuan Oanh believes that this year's Lunar New Year will be a very happy Tet for her Vietnamese class as well as nearly 100 households living on Vietnam Town.
The planning and development of Vietnam Town also helps this neighborhood become busier, attracting a large number of tourists to visit.
Thai newspapers and social networks have recently updated many news about Vietnam Town. The number of Vietnamese and Thai tourists from other provinces and cities of Thailand, as well as tourists from other countries coming here to visit and enjoy Vietnamese cuisine is increasing day by day.
The restaurant of two sisters, Thuan and Kim Oanh, is often full of customers on weekends. The two girls shared about Thai people's positive reviews about the restaurant's dishes, from pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) to banh xeo (Vietnamese style crepe), banh beo (Vietnamese steamed savory rice cake). Many Thai singers, actors, and celebrities have also come to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine.
The opening of Vietnam Town became the pride of many overseas Vietnamese and a vivid symbol of friendship and harmony between the Vietnamese community in Thailand and the local people.
