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Theravada Buddhism in Thailand focuses primarily on Vipassana meditation. Vipassana is one of two forms of meditation taught by the Buddha (the other is known as Samatha).
Vipassana practice develops insight into the truth of experience: that all phenomena are impermanent, lack an enduring self-nature, and are marked by suffering. (Samatha develops calm stability, and this technique is usually practiced prior to beginning Vipassana training.)
In practice, Vipassana meditation focuses the practitioner on careful observation of the arising and passing of mental phenomena: thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions and impulses.
Vietnamese Zen Buddhism, especially the form taught by Thich Nhat Hanh, emphasizes mindfulness training - careful observation of the arising and passing of mental phenomena. The method used to develop this observation can involve labeling specific thoughts, feelings, impulses, actions, etc.
Vietnamese Zen Buddhism has much more in common with Theravada Vipassana practice than it does with Zen as practiced in China, Korea and Japan. Traditional Zen (as practiced in China, Korea, and Japan) can employ several techniques, but it rarely/never employs the mindfulness training taught by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Everything I've written is a generalization and, as with all generalizations, contains errors of oversimplification and misdirection. However, it will give you an accurate overview of the differences.
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How is Thai Theravada Buddhism different to Vietnamese Zen Buddhism?
