Thai King attends official dinner at Hanoi’s historic Tonkin Palace

Hanoi, Vietnam — Thai King and Queen attended an official dinner at Tonkin Palace on Tuesday, hosted by Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam and his wife. The royal couple journeyed from their Fairmont Hai Noi hotel to the historic palace for the event. According to the Royal Household Bureau, the Thai monarchs are visiting Vietnam from September 14–16 at To Lam’s invitation, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the neighboring nations and seeking to strengthen bilateral ties.

Prior to the dinner, the King and Queen placed wreaths at the Bac Son Martyrs’ Monument and the late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum. They later met with To Lam and his spouse at the National Assembly Building, with the King also receiving audiences from Vietnam’s Prime Minister and National Assembly Chairman. Tonkin Palace, also known as Bac Bo Phu or the “Northern Palace,” was constructed in 1918 in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district.

It served as Ho Chi Minh’s residence and office before being designated a national historical site in 1985. The palace, now a president’s office, underwent extensive restoration in 2025 and features a glasshouse used for government receptions for foreign dignitaries. On Wednesday, the Thai King and Queen will visit Quan Su Pagoda, where monks will perform a blessing ceremony, followed by a stop at the Thai Language and Culture Centre at Hanoi University, where they plan to present teaching materials.