During her working visit to Laos and Thailand on July 15 and 16, Le Thi Thu Hang, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with representatives of Vietnamese communities and visited several cultural, educational, and religious establishments of overseas Vietnamese in the two countries.
At the meetings, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang highly appreciated the positive contributions made by the Vietnamese communities in Laos and Thailand towards the development of their host countries, as well as towards strengthening the friendship between Viet Nam and the two countries. She also listened to the aspirations, concerns, and proposals of community members regarding community affairs, the preservation of the Vietnamese language, and the safeguarding of Vietnamese cultural identity.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasised that the overseas Vietnamese community is an inseparable part of the Vietnamese nation. Every overseas Vietnamese person is not only a member of the community but also a representative of the image of Viet Nam and its people, serving as an important bridge in strengthening friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam and their host countries.
Vietnamese community in Laos becoming increasingly united and developing
On the afternoon of July 15, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Laos, one of the overseas Vietnamese communities with a long-standing tradition which has always remained united, maintained close ties with the homeland, and made positive contributions to the host society.
Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang acknowledged and highly appreciated the role of the General Association of Vietnamese in Laos, together with Vietnamese associations and management boards in localities across the country, in bringing community members together, supporting them in stabilising their lives, maintaining activities to preserve the Vietnamese language, safeguarding national cultural identity, and integrating into Lao society.
With the support of Viet Nam’s representative missions and the favourable conditions created by the Lao authorities, the organisational system of the Vietnamese community has now been established in all 18 provinces and provincial-level cities of Laos and operates in accordance with Lao law.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang called on the community to continue promoting its tradition of solidarity and mutual support, comply with the laws of the host country, pay greater attention to the younger generation, strengthen community organisations, and further enhance its role as a bridge of friendship between the peoples of Viet Nam and Laos.
As part of the visit, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang also visited Phat Tich Pagoda in Vientiane, where she met with senior Buddhist dignitaries, monks, and nuns, as well as representatives of the Coordinating Committee for Vietnamese Buddhist Cooperation in Laos.
Vietnamese community in Thailand continues to strengthen its role as a bridge of friendship
On July 16, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang and a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited and worked with Vietnamese associations in Udon Thani Province, in north-eastern Thailand, where a large Vietnamese community resides and where many historical and cultural values associated with President Ho Chi Minh have been preserved.
While offering incense at the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Site in Udon Thani, the deputy minister acknowledged and highly appreciated the community’s efforts to preserve and enhance the site, thereby contributing to educating younger generations about patriotism and promoting Viet Nam’s historical and cultural values to both younger generations and international friends.
At Viet Nam Street, the deputy minister visited the headquarters of the Vietnamese Association of Udon Thani Province and met with representatives of Vietnamese associations and community members. Representatives of the community shared achievements in community building, organising activities directed towards the homeland, teaching and learning the Vietnamese language, preserving traditional culture, and strengthening ties with local authorities and people.
The deputy minister praised the spirit of solidarity and responsibility demonstrated by the Vietnamese community in Udon Thani, as well as in Thailand in general. She also encouraged community members to continue upholding their traditions, caring for the younger generation, preserving the Vietnamese language and national cultural identity, building the image of Vietnamese people as dynamic and compassionate, and making further positive contributions to the friendship between Viet Nam and Thailand.
During a working session with the General Association of Vietnamese in Thailand and the Thai–Vietnamese Business Association, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang congratulated the General Association on the successful organisation of its 2026–2028 Congress. She also highly appreciated the role played by the General Association and other Vietnamese associations in bringing the community together, supporting community members in stabilising their lives, and facilitating their integration into Thai society.
Regarding the Thai–Vietnamese Business Association, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang acknowledged the contributions made by overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs in promoting economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries. She expressed the hope that they would continue to strengthen their role in connecting businesses, promoting the image of Viet Nam, expanding business cooperation, and making practical contributions to the Viet Nam–Thailand Enhanced Strategic Partnership.
Concluding the working sessions, Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang reaffirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, together with Viet Nam’s representative missions in Laos and Thailand, would continue coordinating with and supporting Vietnamese associations in community building, preserving national cultural values, and strengthening their role as a bridge with the homeland.
The deputy minister expressed confidence that the Vietnamese communities in the two countries would continue to develop steadily, integrate successfully into their host societies, and become increasingly positive contributors to strengthening friendship and cooperation between Viet Nam, Laos, and Thailand.
