Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese communities across the Southe🥂ast Asian region have held vibrant celebrations of the Lunar New Year (Tet), the most important festival of Vietnam in a year with various festive activities.

On January 19 evening, nearly 100 Vietnamese students in Phnom Penh, Cambodia gathered to enjoy the Tet atmosphere and foster the connections between the people of Vietnam and the neibouring country. Addressing the event, Minister Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia Ngo Van Tuat noted that currently, about 3,00 Cambodian students have been studying in Vietnam, while nearly 100 Vietnamese students are learning in Cambodia. Tuat praised the academic achievements of Vietnamese students in Cambodia and thanked Cambodian authorities and educators for their support. He encouraged students to continue their studies, respect local laws, and act as ambassadors for Vietnam-Cambodia relations. He presented certificates of merit of the embassy to students with outstanding performance in 2024. Participants enjoyed cultural performances that highlighted the national identity and growing solidarity between the young generations of Vietnam and Cambodia. The same day, the Consulate General of Vietnam in Battambang province organised the Homeland Spring 2025 gathering, bringing the early Tet celebrations to the Vietnamese community living and working in northwestern Cambodia. Nguyen Thanh Van, Vietnamese Consul General in Battambang, highlighted Vietnam’s progress in 2024 despite global uncertainties, emphasising strong political stability, economic growth, and the country’s growing international reputation. He also noted the deepening Vietnam-Cambodia relations, which bring tangible benefits to both countries' people. On January 18, at a Tet celebration jointly held by Viettel Cambodia (Metfone), a subsidiary company of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group, the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia and the Khmer-Vietnam Association, 1,075 Tet gift packages valued at 22,655 USD in total were presented to families in need across nine provinces in Cambodia, where many Vietnamese nationals are residing. Earlier, on January 17, a cultural exchange event to welcome the New Year of the Snake, took place in Nongkhai, Thailand, which brought together more than 1,000 Vietnamese people from various provinces in Northeast Thailand. Duong Thi The, a representative of the Vietnamese Consulate in Khon Kaen, and Nguyen Ngoc Thin, President of the Vietnamese Association in Thailand, extended New Year greetings to the community. They highlighted the significant achievements of Vietnam in 2024 and encouraged the community to continue preserving their cultural heritage, strengthening their solidarity, and contributing to the development of both Vietnam and Thailand. In Myanmar, a celebration was held on January 18 for more than 300 Vietnamese people across the country. Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan highlighted the country’s achievements in 2024 with a GDP growth rate of more than 7% and recognised the contributions from the Vietnamese community abroad, including Myanmar. Participants enjoyed art performances and traditional Tet dishes of Vietnam. Also on January 18, a similar event was held in Singapore with the participation of more than 120 Vietnamese students in the country. Ambassador Tran Phuoc Anh praised the event, which highlighted the students’ respect for Vietnam's traditions, especially during Tet. He reaffirmed the embassy’s commitment to supporting the students in all meaningful activities. The celebration included traditional Tet preparations like making “banh chung” (square sticky rice cakes), “cha gio” (rolling spring rolls), and playing folk games./.