Thai King and Queen Set for Historic State Visit to Vietnam
Thai King and Queen Set for Historic State Visit to Vietnam
HANOI, Sept. 13, 2026 — Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida are scheduled to make a state visit to Vietnam from September 14–16, marking the first state visit by a Thai monarch in the history of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Vietnam.
The visit comes as the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, established in 1976, and follows the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2025.
The royal visit is being made at the invitation of Vietnamese General Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee and President To Lam and his spouse. It is expected to serve as a major highlight of the 50th-anniversary celebrations and further strengthen bilateral friendship and cooperation.
During the three-day visit, Their Majesties are scheduled to lay wreaths at the Bac Son Martyrs’ Monument and the Mausoleum of former President Ho Chi Minh, before attending an official welcoming ceremony and meeting To Lam and his spouse.
The King and Queen are also scheduled to grant audiences to Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man. To Lam and his spouse will host a state banquet in their honour at Tonkin Palace, followed by a visit to Ngoc Son Temple to view cultural performances.
On the final day, the Thai King and Queen will visit Quan Su Pagoda, headquarters of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, as well as the Thai Cultural Centre at Hanoi University.
The historic visit comes amid rapidly deepening bilateral relations. Vietnam and Thailand upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2025 and signed an action programme for implementing the partnership for 2026–2031 in May this year.
Thailand is currently Vietnam’s largest trading partner within ASEAN. Bilateral trade reached US$22.1 billion in 2025, while trade in the first seven months of 2026 exceeded US$15 billion. Thailand also has more than US$15.4 billion invested in 813 active projects in Vietnam.
The royal visit is therefore expected to add a significant symbolic dimension to the increasingly close Vietnam-Thailand relationship, while reinforcing ties between the two countries and their peoples.
