He was just one of 80 delegates representing the Vietnamese community in Thailand at the conference along with 650 other Overseas Vietnamese from 94 countries and territories around the world.
Mr San, who is also chairman of the Vietnamese Residents’ Association in the Thai province of Sakon Nakhon, has made a remarkable contribution to building a strong and unified Vietnamese community in Thailand and encouraging them to look towards the homeland.
Born into a patriotic family, Mr San was taught to love his homeland by his parents and older people. He first joined his other family members in different activities to support the Vietnamese people’s struggle against French and US invaders when he was just 13 years old. After Vietnam was reunified and became a socialist country, Mr San continued to support the country and encourage other Vietnamese living in Thailand to contribute to their motherland.
The Vietnamese Residents’ Association was established in Sakon Nakhon province in 2007 and Mr San was elected its president. This was the first organisation of Vietnamese nationals in Thailand being licensed to operate in the residence country. Thanks to its effective operation, similar associations were then set up in 7 other provinces, including Odon Thanin, Mukdahan, Nongkhai, Ubon Ratchathani and Kalasin. Apart from establishing the association, Mr San also encourage other Vietnamese residents to do charity for needy people in their homeland, such as Agent Orange victims and flood and storm victims in central Vietnam. Most recently, he raised US$80,000 to help people in the central and Central Highland regions overcome the aftermath of tropical storms No.9 and No.11.
In Thailand, Mr San set up a company selling Honda motorbikes. Now his company has become one of the three biggest companies in the northeastern region. It has 40 branches in five provinces in Thailand, employing 400 local workers. His company also pays the highest taxes in the provinces where his branches are located, and the company also actively takes part in social welfare programmes in the local areas.
Mr San said that he felt moved when he gave a speech at the first conference of Overseas Vietnamese held in Hanoi. Vietnamese people in Thailand and around the world always turn their minds to their homeland despite the geographical distance, he confided.
He said: “I want to share my feelings towards my motherland where my predecessors used to live. Vietnamese people abroad are always attached to the home country. Most Vietnamese nationals in Thailand contributed to the success of Vietnam’s wars against foreign aggressors. I strongly believe that with due attention paid by the State, the Vietnamese Residents’ Association in Thailand will continue to grow strongly.”
He stated that he will ask the Party and Government of Vietnam as well as the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs to make it easier for Vietnamese people abroad to contribute more to the cause of national construction and defence.
He also raised his concern about teaching the Vietnamese language to young Vietnamese people living in Thailand. In Sakon Nakhon, there is a Thai government-funded Vietnamese cultural centre at Thatnalai University where young people can study the Vietnamese language and culture, Mr San added.
He said he wants to set up a primary school where Vietnamese children can learn the Vietnamese language. In the near future, he will hold Vietnamese language classes for children at his home. After his tireless efforts in strengthening solidarity among Vietnamese people in Thailand and contributing to Vietnam’s development, Mr San has been elected a member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee - its 7th term, from 2009-2014.