Thailand's Udon Thani hosts Vietnam Week

Marking its debut in Udon Thani–a province in Northeastern Thailand home to the largest Vietnamese community with over 60,000 descendants and more than 15,000 expatriates–the programme aimed to strengthen trade connections and promote the unique image and culture of Vietnam to Thai consumers. The event featured products from nearly 40 businesses from Ho Chi Minh City and neighbouring provinces, including Quang Nam, Tien Giang, Tay Ninh, and Kien Giang.

The showcased products included goods of international export standards, such as agricultural produce, processed foods, tea, coffee, dry goods, spices, pharmaceuticals, handicrafts, household items, and fashion products, with many emphasising organic and environmentally friendly standards and attractive packaging.

Visitors also had the chance to wear traditional Vietnamese silk ao dai for photos at the Ben Thanh Market Gate area and to observe the art of To He (rice flour figurine) making.

Ho Thi Quyen, deputy director of ITPC, stated that in recent years, a series of trade connection activities, Vietnamese product showcase weeks, export promotion programmes, and initiatives have been organised to introduce Vietnamese goods into Central Group's distribution systems in both Vietnam and Thailand. Vietnam Week in Udon Thani marks the first time this collaboration has extended beyond Vietnam’s borders.

“The Vietnam Week in Udon Thani, Thailand 2024 not only deepens the market penetration of Vietnamese products in Thailand through a major distribution network but also promotes Vietnam's image, culture, and products. This programme provides Thai citizens and international friends with the chance to experience high-quality Vietnamese products first-hand and acts as a bridge to strengthen trade ties between Thailand and Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh City,” Quyen said at the opening ceremony.

During the event, Central Group’s purchasing team from the Tops supermarket chain engaged directly with Vietnamese businesses through a Vietnam-Thailand business matchmaking programme, helping these companies enter Thailand’s modern distribution system. Vietnamese businesses also visited and engaged with business associations in Thailand, conducted market surveys of supermarkets, and explored the modern distribution system in Udon Thani to enhance their competitiveness in international markets.

Jariya Chirathivat, executive vice president of Business Development at Central Group, highlighted that this activity reflects their commitment to promoting Vietnamese products both domestically and internationally.

"In addition to showcasing top Vietnamese products, we hope this event will strengthen ties between the Vietnamese and Thai business communities in a region home to a large Vietnamese community,” he said.

“With this strong foundation, we are confident that today’s event will encourage both Thai consumers and the Vietnamese community in Udon Thani to embrace and support Vietnamese products, further solidifying trade relations between Vietnam and Thailand."

Since 2016, the annual Vietnamese Week in Thailand has provided a platform for nearly 500 Vietnamese businesses to introduce their products to Thai consumers, enhancing export opportunities through a partnership between Central Group, Central Retail Vietnam, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Popular Vietnamese fruits like lychee, longan, and dragon fruit are frequently exported to Thailand through Central Group’s retail network.

The Vietnam Week in Udon Thani programme is expected to continue advancing trade promotion, supporting Vietnamese businesses in expanding their market reach, strengthening economic cooperation with Thailand, and raising the profile of Vietnamese products on the international stage.

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