Russian-Thai Investment Forum Closes with New Business Pact and $4.5bn Project Potential

 

Industry pact signed, Made in Russia pavilion unveiled, and tech, tourism and payments panels set out practical routes to joint projects.

 

The second Russian-Thai Investment Forum 2026 closed on Saturday with a new partnership between the two countries’ industry bodies and a launch platform for Russian exporters.

 

Delegates also set out practical routes for joint work in payments, technology and tourism, and called for easier trade rules. Organisers said more than 800 companies took part, with projects representing investment potential of over $4.5 billion.

 

Ivan Demchenko, chairman of the Russian-Thai Business Council (RTBC), said attendance had grown from 200 three years ago to 2,500 people from more than 50 countries.

 

 

From talk to agreements

Demchenko opened the forum by saying a new era “begins with a deal”, not a memorandum. Delegates responded with concrete steps. The most tangible was a memorandum between Business Russia and the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

 

It aims to connect enterprises and encourage production in Thailand for onwards export. FTI chairwoman Pimjai Leeissaranukul said Thai manufacturers are keen to share know-how, facilities and supply chains. Alexey Repik of Business Russia said future meetings should focus on results rather than potential.

 

The forum also presented the “Made in Russia” national pavilion, operated by RTBC after selection by the Russian Export Center. Exporters can get certification, legal and marketing support, and the National Food Institute of Thailand is its main partner.

 

A digital-transformation memorandum between the Digital Council of Thailand and RTBC, which grew out of last year’s Phuket forum, was highlighted again.

 

 

 

A shared agenda

At the plenary, speakers repeated three messages. Both countries need new partners as global trade fragments. Their economies complement each other in energy, food and tourism.

 

And practical barriers must come down, helped by an early start to Thailand–Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) free trade talks. Vice Commerce Minister Dr Kirida Bhaopichitr put trade at about $2 billion a year.

 

She urged “co-creation” of supply chains, with Russian fertiliser helping Thai farms grow food for export back to Russia. Energy Minister Akanat Promphan said Thailand imports over 90 per cent of its crude oil and that AI data centres have requested more than 30 gigawatts of power.

 

Dr Chula Sukmanop of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Office urged Russian firms to invest in Thailand, offering tailored incentives.

 

 

Payments: practical proposals

Payments dominated the business sessions. Demchenko called for a direct banking channel modelled on the Russian-Vietnamese bank, which he predicted could double trade within a year.

 

Petr Zaselsky of Roseximbank outlined rouble credit lines at 7.5 per cent and baht settlement services. At the finance panel, Dr Darmp Sukontasap of the Ministry of Commerce’s Institute of Trade and Development proposed a “safe harbour” sandbox. Paired Thai and Russian operators would work under joint compliance rules.

 

“The roads are there, the goods have been loaded on the trucks, but the bridge is not,” he said.

 

Speakers also backed middle-layer links between payment systems and a stablecoin “tourist sandbox” using licensed brokers and e-wallets.

 

 

Technology: partners wanted

Digital cooperation drew some of the most concrete offers. At the Days of Moscow technology panel on Friday, speakers named artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, smart-city systems and industrial automation as priorities.

 

Egor Glukhov, Russia’s digital attaché, advised Russian firms to work with local partners and target niches such as video analytics and traffic management.

 

Korthong Thongtham na Ayutthaya of the EEC Office said the planned EECiti smart city covers 24 square kilometres, with about nine already secured and a net-zero target for 2050.

 

invited Russian partners to propose digital infrastructure, smart-city management and clean energy, with specifications for bidding due by mid-2027.

 

Pravee Chanatchavarin of the Thai Automation and Robotics Association pointed to Board of Investment tax incentives for automation projects. VisionLabs said it hopes to work with Thai universities in 2027.

 

On Saturday, a platform economy session explored joint digital ecosystems and expansion across Southeast Asia. Alexey Novikov of 1C described relying on local partners to bring business software to new markets.

 

Pavel Bulgakov of Callisto Vision said his track-and-trace systems run on more than 200 production lines in four countries. He said he wants Thai partners for local machinery production. The session said regulatory compatibility and digital skills will decide how fast such projects move.

 

 

Tourism: beyond the beach

The travel economy session looked at widening a relationship that already runs strongly one way. Thailand welcomed nearly 1.9 million Russian visitors in 2025, up 8.8 per cent, making Russia its fourth-largest source market.

 

Thai tourists made about 9,570 trips to Russia, according to Russian border statistics. The session brought together airlines, tour operators, booking platforms and tourism authorities, including Thai AirAsia X and TEZ TOUR.

 

It identified better flight links, language support and connected digital booking services as ways to grow travel in both directions. Medical, educational and business tourism could diversify visits. More Thais could also be drawn to Russia’s cultural and historic sites.

 

 

Property and wellness

Property remained the most visible channel for Russian money. The moderator of the real estate panel cited 842 purchases by Russians so far this year, worth about 3.6 billion baht.

 

Developer Supalai said it welcomes joint ventures in which Russian partners hold up to 49 per cent. The EEC Office said investors in target clusters can win income-tax exemptions of up to 15 years.

 

The longevity panel backed Thailand as a wellness hub, pairing Russian biomedical technology with Thai hospitals and hospitality.

 

 

Culture and sport

The Days of Moscow in Bangkok included a ballet gala at the Bangkok National Theatre. The MIR festival in Lumphini Park offered concerts, food and a market of Russian and Thai goods.

 

The play “The Thai Dictionary” premiered with Russian actress Irina Starshenbaum and Thai artist Sean Jindachot.

 

The sports programme featured a friendly ice hockey match, a masterclass by Roman Rotenberg and badminton matches.

 

 

Looking ahead

Next year brings the 130th anniversary of Thai-Russian diplomatic relations and the 30th anniversary of the Moscow–Bangkok sister-city agreement.

 

Senate president Mongkol Surasajja said a design contest for the anniversary will hold its awards in December.

 

Delegates were also invited to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June. Demchenko urged newcomers to take a “sabai sabai” approach, building trust and growing step by step.