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How do Thais and Vietnamese see each other?

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I’m vietnamese and I’m glad you have a positive perspective of Vietnamese people. I do agree that Vietnamese are street smart people because most vietnamese households own a small business of some kinds.I only expose to some Thai people like Metinee via TV shows. I’ve also tried Thai cusines and i liked Thai foods alot. Very flavorful. I do want to travel to Thailand one day and learn more about your culture and all the Asian countries too

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I worked with Thai people, mostly graduated and working for US invested groups. I watch over their working manner, relationship, marriage and family with kids.

To me, those Thai people have good education, focus on career ( their salary level much better than Vietnamese staff of the same position ) while still follow the traditions. They also pay much attention to sport, gym and tourism.

They covered much more distance for job, tourism … than Vietnamese.

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As a Thai, here are my opinions on Vietnam

Vietnamese people are more clever than Thai people

While Thailand is richer than Vietnam, Vietnam’s economy is growing much faster

Vietnamese history is cool

Haven’t been to Vietnam, but I wish to go after COVID-19 ends

Their language is pretty bouncy

V-pop isn’t popular in Thailand, but I do listen to SƠN TÙNG M-TP

Football rivalries are pretty intense

So many motorcycles

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My exposure to how Thais and Vietnamese people see each other is limited, but I do live in Thailand and have visited Vietnam twice with my Thai family, so I can pass on a take based on limited input. It will be mostly about how Thais see the Vietnamese; I don’t have the same level of contact with Vietnamese people.

I just mentioned elsewhere how it’s odd that Thais seem to have a generally negative impression of Cambodia and Myanmar but a neutral impression of Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Laos is kind of a close relative, as countries go, so that’s different. I suppose that mostly relates to problems in the past between Thailand and Myanmar and also with Cambodia. Those were very old conflicts that are a part of old Thai history instead of modern events (with very limited modern exceptions), but which carry over nonetheless.

Thailand is slightly ahead of Vietnam in terms of level of development, and more even with Malaysia, although overall size of the Malaysian economy would be more limited. That doesn’t seem to impact a general impression about the people much.

It’s my impression—and maybe more related to my take than a general one—that Vietnam has much closer ties to Chinese culture than the other countries in the region, so some of the same positive and negative image aspects carry over. The language and history are different, and I’m not sure that communism and political ties matter that much related to culture or image of culture, but somehow the ties seem stronger. Some examples: Vietnam is a tea drinking nation, wearing silk clothing is a tradition there, the Chinese New Year cycle is observed (versus April being the traditional Thai New Year). It would be hard to evaluate degree of trade partnership as an issue; Thailand trades with a lot of different countries, as Vietnam probably does.

Vietnamese people are seen as more direct, although Thais tend to extend some level of caution or limited distrust to most foreign cultures, it just varies in form. Maybe it’s because Thais are also inconsistent, and to some extent you have to factor in why someone who is Thai is saying what they are saying to arrive at understanding and expectations of deeper meaning, and in being less familiar with foreign cultures Thais can’t convert that understanding over, the transformation or decoding process. Westerners probably seem more direct yet, but also on the simple side, not so sensitive to proper conduct related to ordinary restrictions on what should or should not be expressed in different contexts, or between people of different social status levels.

A typical Western perspective might jump past all that and accept that people vary mostly as individuals, and that generalities related to cultural norms can definitely occur, but that they are secondary to individual personal differences. I think both Vietnam and Thailand would follow a more Asian perspective of seeing placement in society, group identification, and well-defined restrictions on behavior as more important than broad norms that extend across all countries and cultures. It seems to me that both cultures would be more open to interpreting the influence of culture as playing a more significant role in defining individuals and their actions, even though different people are “better or worse” related to how they interpret and observe different types of norms. They would both see being Thai or Vietnamese as important in defining people, probably more so than being American or British, since those cultures set up norms but also emphasize the importance of individuality and personal choice.

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They are Partners in ASEAN and Friendly Competitors.

How they see each other? Mostly friendly and respectfully (except when on the hot football pitch).

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I think Viets may detest Thais for a while as being the base to bomb Vietnam in the horrific wars. That is past. Viets may be a bit jealous of Thai economic growth for decades, never colonised and untouched by imperialistic wars unlike the Viets who suffer so much.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations - Wikipedia

Within ASEAN all are partners, and they trade. There is little quarrel except perhaps over a few border issues here and there which involves minority, But all is quiet and peaceful and the peoples are friendly. The idea of ASEAN has done so much to bring all of ASEAN into a harmonious consultative community, with each acting as mediator to defuse any issues through quiet dialogue. So we can say today, all in ASEAN are good friends and respectful to each other.

For most, since WW2, Vietnam war, the Khmer Rouge problem, Indochina seems quite peaceful and friendly, especially after ASEAN was formed.

WARS?? Someone wrote that Viet and Thais had no border hence no wars. Actually quite a bit.

But actually, wars in Indochina was very widespread across all countries. Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and other ‘old’ kingdoms fought for thousands of years. The history of wars, allies, tributaries, vassalage, Mandala tradition, enslavement and conquest was common across all states and tribes.

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This write-up on Laos gives an indication of the fights between all and makes for quite interesting reading, eg. just read Laos, which involves all countries.

History of Laos - Wikipedia

Below are some wars between Thailand and Vietnam.

Siamese–Vietnamese wars - Wikipedia

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During Vietnam war, the whole of SEA especially Thailand was most edgy with the communist regimes in Vietnam (and Cambodia). Hence Thailand was far more pro-US than any other SEA country.

Still today, I reckon relationship between all are stable and normalised. We cannot underestimate the usefulness of ASEAN as an organisation as that helps a lot much like EU. There is a formal channel for dialogue and far more moderation and consultation unlike before. Many issues are sorted out behind the scene, and most problems are tempered and resolved amazingly well, including the decorum and good sense to dampen on nationalistic sentiments over disagreements. In China-ASEAN cooperation, the whole region works in unison to increase cooperation and trade with China, and pushing to formalise the RCEP trade agreement with China.

Overall, Viet and Thais respect each other, and the people are not too different from one another, although Thailand may be more indianised, whilst Vietnam is more sinicized. I believe Vietnam could have been a more prosperous nation if not for all the wars, and for the level of higher corruption.

For silk road, Vietnam has an advantage being closer to China, but Thailand has the advantage of being the natural hub for all roads/rail at the heart of Indochina, as well as having the Kral Canal (which will be likely be built one day).

I think the current worse fight between them is the fierce rivalry now in soccer. Thailand seems to have an edge for the time being as far as I can remember.

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Question: How do Thais and Vietnamese see each other?

Answer: From the Vietnamese people who have interacted with me, I realize that In general, they have a positive view of Thailand.

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The Grand Palace Bangkok

Thailand is a beautiful country located in the center of the Indochina peninsula together with Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Both are Buddhist countries even though they follow the different brands of buddhism.

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Thailand Buddhism

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Vietnam Buddhism

In the past, before the western colonial period of Indochina, Thailand used to be the rival of Vietnam, especially the competitive of making influence over Laos and Cambodia. At least, three wars such as the Thai invasion of Vietnam in 1785 (Read: Rach Gam-Xoai Mut battle 1785 ), Siam (Thailand)-Vietnamese war 1831–1834, Siam-Vietnamese war 1841–1845, some small battles in Laos. However, Thailand was not really the historical and traditional enemy of Vietnam compared to China in the North.

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Bangkok

In the modern period, Thailand and Vietnam also had engaged in wars that could be seen as rivals of each other such as the Vietnam war (Thailand’s involvement in the Vietnam War as the American ally), as well as the Cambodian war (Thailand sided with the Khmer Rouge against Vietnam), Some conflicts happened between Vietnam and Thailand on the Thailand-Cambodian border but overall, both countries were not really direct enemies of each other.

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After ending these conflicts above, Thailand and Vietnam have rebuilt their friendly relationship. The Vietnamese people have always admired Thai for Thai’s economic achievement as well as their history of not being colonized by the western colonizers. From my own view, Vietnam could learn the flexible foreign policies of Thailand that have helped Thai people to preserve their independence as well as become prosperous at a certain level. Seemingly, nowadays, Vietnam would love to compete with Thailand from sport to economy. After catching up with Singapore, Malaysia, and Phillippine in the total GDP statistic, the Next target, Vietnam will try to catch up with Thailand too.

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Overall, Thailand is not a threat to Vietnam or I guess that Thailand should not see Vietnam as its threat too.

Lusia Millar

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Thai from the U.S. responding. I think the Thais respect the Vietnamese. I personally think that Vietnam would have been Thailand’s equal in terms of economic and infrastructure if wars had not torn the country apart.

Thailand does not share any direct borders with Vietnam. As a result Vietnam has not been considered “a historic enemy” of Thailand. Thailand historically has faught Burma, not Vietnam.

I live in Orange County, California which is the home to “Little Saigon” and the largest population of Vietnamese in the United States. In the U.S. Thais and Vietnamese get along very well. (I’m often mistaken for Vietnamese by Vietnamese.) Pretty much Thais and Vietnamese are brothers and sisters in the United States. We shop at the same Asian food stores. We live next to each other (my neighbor is Vietnamese). Our cultures and ways of thinking are the same. Thais and Vietnamese are more alike than they are different.

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We are very similar. Nothing is different in terms of economic and social backgrounds. Even in the exotic places or national parks, tourists are in high demand for fast and convenients transportation, officials said. The best approach is to talk with locals and understand things differently.

You may feel confused at first, but later you are likely to get accustomed to. You answer: “I do not understand your culture”. Later, you attempt to explain something mismatching to you.

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In contrast, as many news report, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore make positive moves of technological and cultural shift of entrepreneurship mindset to create burning desire to create something new and innovative.

Many people are devoted their energy and effort to take “online courses” to improve their skills, having said that the likelyhood of improving “tech startup culture” increases many of us expectation. While Thai people are not aware of what is going on in the actual world and spend their time on internet aimlessly, hanging out with friends and eat out simultaneously. Many people conceal their interest toward the world because they do not think, this would benefit in a long run. I know that many of our neighbours exceed my expectation in technology.

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They see each other as the neighbors! That's all.

There's a question about how the Thai think (see) the Viet, and another one inverse - now you ask this question - it's like a combination of them.

As both they are friendly and open mind, they see each other closer.

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Just simple wonder why u asked…

A Thai see a Vietnamese as a subject of a socialist kingdom.

A Vietnamese see a Thai as a citizen of a capitalist kingdom where the King has no virtual rights any but the citizens have.

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