Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022 – A Taste of Vietnam!

Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022 – A Taste of Vietnam!

Building bridges between Vietnamese businesses and Central Group’s Thai retail and distribution network

“Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022”, co-organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, Central Group and Central Retail Vietnam, was officially launched on 16 November 2022, at Central World, one of the largest shopping complexes in the world. The event continues until 20 November 2022. 

“Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022” has significant meaning since its timing coincides with the Annual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok and had the privilege of welcoming H.E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of Vietnam, to the opening ceremony and the ribbon-cutting on 17 November 2022. The event also welcomed Mr. Sinit Lertkrai, Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Commerce, Mr. Do Thang Hai, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Mr. Nikorndej Balankura, Ambassador of Thailand to Vietnam and Mr. Ha Kim Ngoc,Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Vietnam. The presence of the leaders affirmed the strong relations and cooperation between the two governments and peoples in various areas such as economics, trade, investment and culture exchanges. 

This is the 5th time “Vietnamese Week in Thailand” has taken place with the theme “Taste of Vietnam”. The event continues Central Retail Vietnam’s efforts to join hands with the Vietnamese government in promoting Vietnam’s cultural beauty, attractive destinations and best products to Thailand and other international markets through the previous four Vietnamese Weeks.

Mr. Do Thang Hai, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, said at the Opening Ceremony: “The cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Thailand has been developing significantly, particularly since Vietnam and Thailand elevated their relations to a strategic partnership in 2013. Thailand is currently the largest economic partner of Vietnam within ASEAN.”

Vietnam was the second-largest economic partner of Thailand within ASEAN (after Malaysia) in 2021. For that year, the total export-import turnover of Vietnam and Thailand reached $18.8 billion (the highest to date), an increase of 17.9% compared to 2020. In the first nine months of 2022, the total export-import turnover between Vietnam and Thailand reached $16.1 billion, an increase of 17.2% compared to that of 2021.

In recent years, the Government of Vietnam has facilitated direct export by enterprises to distribution networks in other countries, including Thailand. Held since 2016, Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022 is an important annual event within this framework. To help Vietnamese goods be exported through the distribution network of Central Group, Central Retail Vietnam has been cooperating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to deploy market research, select enterprises with suitable products for the Thai market, organise practical training courses to improve capacity and the quality of goods, and assist in the development of products tailored to the Thai market.”

Ms. Jariya Chirathivat, Executive Vice President – Business Development (International) – Central Group and Chairwoman – Central Retail Vietnam, remarked: “Vietnamese Week in Thailand is a significant annual event for Central Retail Vietnam. This year, besides promoting products of excellence coming from Vietnam, the event is created under the inspiration of our ‘GO! Mall’ concept, a member of Central Retail in Vietnam, with 39 active malls across the country. This concept introduces a remarkable shopping mall model that has been working well in Vietnam.”

“Our team strives to make each event better than the last by closely following guidelines and recommendations from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam to achieve greater scale and higher quality. Vietnamese Week in Thailand is one of our prominent initiatives to realise Central Retail Vietnam's vision of contributing to Vietnam’s prosperity and enhancing Vietnamese people’s quality of life. We are delighted to be able to contribute to Vietnam trade while enhancing quality of life in Thailand.”

At the high-level dialogue Top to Top Meeting between the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and Central Retail in Vietnam, Deputy Minister Do Thang Hai commended contributions that Central Retail in Vietnam, especially by Ms. Jariya Chirathivat – Executive Vice President – Business Development (International) – Central Group and Chairwoman – Central Retail Vietnam, have made in promoting the consumption of Vietnamese products at home and abroad.

Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022 has attracted more than 70 businesses to showcase the best Vietnamese products to Thai consumers. The products are carefully selected to highlight innovation, including natural, health-focused products, organic farming, efficient management with blockchain technology, OCOP Elite product lines and flagship products under the national program, and the circular economy. 

Some notable products include: Vinamit’s cutting-edge organic foods; Coi Viet from Lao Cai’s Muong Khuong hot sauce, orange tea, and shiitake mushroom using advanced technology and techniques to preserve the product's flavour while also guaranteeing the highest levels of consumer safety; Dan On Foods with their mission to create the most nutritious foods and beverages possible by combining A.I. technology with human creativity; Miss Ede chocolate which conforms to the "circular economy" standards; and OCOP’s 4-star Macca nuts from Damaca Nguyen Phuong JSC.

To increase export opportunities for Vietnamese products to Thailand, the organising committee allocated prime areas at three main halls of CentralWorld for Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022, covering nearly 1,000 sqm out of the Complex’s 800,000 sqm, with a total of 45 eye-catching booths. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to explore tourism, culture and specialties including highland farm products and seafood from two special destinations: Lao Cai – the mountainous Northwest border and Ca Mau – the Southernmost land of Vietnam. The five-day event is expected to welcome 500,000 visitors.

As part of Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam is collaborating with Central Retail Vietnam to hold a business-matching conference to connect Vietnamese businesses with Central Group in Thailand’s retail affiliates and Thai importers. The Conference will enable Vietnamese businesses to showcase their best products and establish connections with Thai partners. 

Central Group in Thailand also strives to assist Vietnamese companies in exploring opportunities to grow their business in the Thai market through its distribution channels and business initiatives.

Several Vietnamese businesses have successfully exported their products through Central Group’s distribution channels in Thailand and Vietnam Week platform, including MR. VIET (coffee), BIBICA, VIFON, TRUNG NGUYEN, VINAMIT, HAI BINH (cashew nuts), CHINSUFOODS, DAIVIET, and VIET PEPPER. This demonstrates the event’s great results and proves that the Thai market isn’t too challenging as long as Vietnamese enterprises can Thai consumers’ demands and tastes.

 “Vietnamese Week in Thailand 2022” is jointly sponsored by Vietjet Air, Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank), KOVA Paint Group; Hanhsilk Trading Joint Stock Company and Drinkizz Company Limited.

Last not least, during the event week, an MOU will be signed between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Central Retail Vietnam under which Central Retail Vietnam will become a strategic partner of the Ministry in trade promotions and assisting Vietnamese businesses to expand their markets to other countries. 

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