HANOI, Vietnam — Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida received a formal welcome at Vietnam’s National Assembly Building in Hanoi on Tuesday as part of their official visit to Vietnam from Sept 14–16. Their Majesties travelled from the Fairmont Hanoi, where they are staying, to the National Assembly Building at 10:10 a.m. local time. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President To Lam and his wife, Ngo Phuong Ly, welcomed Their Majesties upon arrival.
The King and President To Lam proceeded to the ceremonial platform, where an honor guard rendered a salute and military bands played the Thai royal anthem followed by Vietnam’s national anthem. The King, accompanied by the Vietnamese president, inspected the honour guard before receiving a salute from its commander. The honor guard then called out “Chúc Nhà Vua Khỏe,” expressing wishes for His Majesty’s good health.
Their Majesties were introduced to members of the Vietnamese official delegation before proceeding past the Thai delegation and ambassadors and chargé d’affaires of ASEAN member states in Vietnam. They then watched the honor guard parade. Their Majesties later held a private audience with President To Lam and his wife to mark the official visit, which is being made at the invitation of the Vietnamese leader. The King and Queen also granted audiences to Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man.
The official visit follows President To Lam’s state visit to Thailand in May, when he was received by Their Majesties at Ambhorn Sathan Throne Hall in Dusit Palace. After completing the engagements, Their Majesties returned to the Fairmont Hanoi. The National Assembly Building, home to Vietnam’s legislature, stands 39 meters high with five above-ground floors and two basement levels. Its architecture combines the authority of the National Assembly with Vietnamese traditions and cultural elements. The central hall covers about 2,900 square meters and is used for official receptions and ceremonies.
