An aerial view of the central area of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo: Van Trung
A leader from the agency told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that Vietnam's GDP measured by PPP reached about $1.885 trillion in 2025, compared with an estimated $1.881 trillion for Thailand, based on data from the International Monetary Fund.
The gap reflects Vietnam's economy moving into a position of parity and slight lead over Thailand on a PPP basis.
Under projections that assume stable PPP exchange rates, average annual growth of around 10 percent from 2026 to 2030 and a roughly two-percent annual rise in the VND/USD rate, Vietnam's GDP could reach about $2.099 trillion in 2026, compared with roughly $1.964 trillion for Thailand.
The agency said this would allow Vietnam to maintain a lead over Thailand in PPP terms from 2026.
Measured at current prices in U.S. dollars, where growth, inflation, and exchange rates all play a role, Vietnam is expected to surpass Thailand more gradually, potentially between 2027 and 2030.
The International Monetary Fund has also forecast that Vietnam's PPP-based GDP could exceed Thailand's in 2026, making it the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.
