Thailand and Vietnam plan to boost bilateral cooperation in political, economic and social areas.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow, (right) Thai permanent secretary for foreign affairs, holds a press conference with Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday (Photo by Pornprom Sarttarbhanya)
Confirmation of closer ties were announced after Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Pham Quang Vinh visited the kingdom Thursday. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, permanent secretary of the Thai Foreign Ministry, represented the Thai side.
In their meeting, both sides vowed to boost bilateral cooperation and relations across the board. They will include political, economic and social cooperation, the enhancement of transport capacities in the Mekong region, narcotics suppression and attempts to increase the value of bilateral trade to more than $15 billion within five years.
Both sides also agreed that disputes in the South China Sea should be addressed with peaceful solutions based on international law, and there should be a code of conduct to guide appropriate use of the South China Sea.