At 60,000 residents, Udon Thani has the largest overseas Vietnamese community in Thailand and even former President of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh once lived in the town in the 1920s.
According to the Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand, Mr. Phan Chí Thành who was inspecting the Vietnam Street project in Thailand’s Udon Thani last week, the construction of the Vietnam Town in Udon Thani is a positive development and is likely to become a cultural hub of Vietnamese people in Thailand.
A news report suggested that Vietnam Town would be a cultural center for Vietnamese people in the region and also serve as a tourist attraction. The project has gained considerable support from the local administration, which has planned to invest THB 3 million (about USD 86,000) in upgrading the town’s infrastructure system.
The rehabilitation intends to bring the region back to life by renovating public utilities such as pedestrian walkways, traffic surfaces, arches, and adorning buildings in a Vietnamese style.
Ambassador Phan Chi Thành also praised Udon Thani Mayor Thanadorn Phuttharaksa for his generous support of the Vietnamese community and investment in the project. He hailed this effort as a sign of friendship shared by people in both nations, in addition to longstanding bilateral connections.
Meanwhile, Mayor Thanadorn stated that the city would cooperate with the Vietnamese Thai Association in the province to carry out the project, which will include the construction of food stalls and gift stores to attract visitors.
While in Udon Thani, Ambassador Thành also met with city officials and university administrators to discuss plans to preserve and promote Vietnamese culture in the area. These plans include the construction of a Vietnamese Culture Centre in the city and the establishment of a faculty of Vietnamese studies at the university.
