In the past, among his fellow chess players, Thông was known to have an unconventional opening style. However, his punctuality and dedication to perfecting theoretical strategies transformed him into a formidable player in the international chess scene.

In contrast to his chess life, his civilian life is relatively simple, given that he persists himself without a smartphone or computer, instead, relying on a post office for chess correspondence. Regardless, that not at all impaired his ability to conceive competitive strategies, enabling him to maintain a continuous presence in the top 10 ICCF rankings.