{
  "id": 7716087,
  "title": "Thai King attends official dinner at Hanoi’s historic Tonkin Palace",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/thai-king-attends-official-dinner-at-hanois-historic-tonkin-palace",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T05:43:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Khaosod English",
    "slug": "khaosod-english",
    "url": "https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2026/09/16/thai-king-attends-official-dinner-at-hanois-historic-tonkin-palace/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "HANOI, Vietnam — The King and Queen of Thailand attended an official dinner at Tonkin Palace in Hanoi on Tuesday evening, hosted by To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and president of Vietnam, and his wife, Ngo Phuong Ly. The royal couple travelled from the Fairmont Hai Noi, where they are […] The post Thai King attends official dinner at Hanoi’s historic Tonkin Palace…",
  "key_points": [
    "Thai King and Queen attended dinner at Tonkin Palace in Hanoi.",
    "Visit marks 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Thailand and Vietnam.",
    "Palace, now a national historical site, underwent restoration in 2025."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Thai monarchs' visit, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations, cements strengthened bilateral ties with Vietnam, with the royal couple engaging in high-level meetings and symbolically paying respects to national figures.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}