Thananon Charnvirakul, wife of Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, recently shared photographs of herself wearing an ao dai during her visit to Vietnam, drawing praise from people in both countries.
Thananon Charnvirakul wearing the Vietnamese ao dai (Photo: Screenshot from clip).
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, Nguyen Thi Nga, founder of Van Thien Y, the company that created the garments, said Thananon spent time in Hanoi learning about the history of Vietnam's traditional long dress before selecting fabrics for the outfits.
"After being introduced to several designs, she chose silk from Nha Xa Village to create an ao dai that reflects Vietnam's traditional cultural identity," Nga said.
Nha Xa Village, in Ninh Binh Province, is renowned for its long-standing silk weaving tradition. Its silk is known for its softness, subtle sheen and breathability, making it well suited to Vietnam's summer climate.
After the first lady selected the design and fabric, Nga and four colleagues began work at about 4 pm on June 8, producing two outfits based on measurements prepared in advance.
In addition to a blue ao dai featuring dragonfly motifs made from Nha Xa silk, the team also created a second outfit using silk from Ma Chau, a traditional silk-weaving area in Danang.
Although the workshop has previously produced ao dai for diplomatic delegations, Nga said the project came with significant time pressure. Many details, including the buttons, curved panels and underarm sections, were sewn by hand and required meticulous craftsmanship.
"Normally, a tailor would need about three days to complete an ao dai like this. Our team worked for more than 10 hours to finish two outfits," she said.
The two five-panel ao dai were completed early on June 9 and personally delivered by Nga to representatives of the Thai delegation.
According to Nga, Thananon expressed her satisfaction with the garments and praised the craftsmanship.
"We feel proud to have introduced Vietnamese culture and identity to international friends through the ao dai," she said.
Following the conclusion of the Thai prime minister's official visit to Vietnam, Thananon shared photographs and reflections from her time in Hanoi on social media.
Thananon receives flowers before boarding a flight back to Thailand (Photo: Instagram).
In her post, she highlighted the warm hospitality she received and the opportunity to learn more about Vietnamese culture, daily life and the friendship between the two countries.
"I sincerely thank everyone for the hospitality and friendship I received. These will remain beautiful and meaningful memories for me," she wrote.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul paid an official visit to Vietnam and attended the third ASEAN Future Forum from June 8 to June 9 at the invitation of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
The visit was Anutin's first trip to Vietnam as prime minister and came one week after the visit to Thailand by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, as the two countries mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026.