Vietnamese expatriates in Bangkok and neighbouring localities gathered on October 22 to, for the first time, cast their vote electing members to the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Bangkok’s executive board.

Tran Xuan Muoi, vice president of the general association of Vietnamese in Thailand, said the capital city of Thailand is a key area for the community, welcoming all delegations from Vietnam for working or visiting purposes. Therefore, it needs a strong association meeting the demand of overseas Vietnamese there and representing the general association as well as the expatriates from across Thailand to host distinguished guests from Vietnam.  

Nguyen Ngoc Thin, president of the general association, said the election serves as an example for overseas Vietnamese associations in other Thai localities to follow.

Thin affirmed that the general association will stand side by side with and assist the new executive board to organise activities helping the community develop business, preserve traditional culture, and promote the learning of the Vietnamese language.

Thailand is home to up to 200,000 overseas Vietnamese, most of them in the northeastern area of the country. Bangkok alone houses nearly 1,000 people of Vietnamese origin./.