Russia Day reception highlights Thai-Russian ties and ASEAN role

 

Evgeny Tomikhin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand, hosted a reception to mark Russia Day on Thursday (June 11, 2026).

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, accompanied by his wife and a number of deputy prime ministers, attended to offer their congratulations.

Tomikhin said Russia Day was a holiday that reflected Russia’s history, sovereignty and vision for the future.

He said it was also a good opportunity to reflect on Russia’s role in a rapidly changing world, as well as international cooperation that continued to move forward in building a more balanced and inclusive world order.

The world is now facing profound changes, he said.

Relations based on mutual respect, equality and dialogue were therefore especially important.

The era in which a small group of countries could set political and economic rules for the rest of the world was gradually giving way to the reality of a multipolar world, or a world with several centres of power.

Russia attaches great importance to its long-standing friendship with Thailand.

The two countries share an interest in maintaining stability, openness and comprehensive cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Thailand holds a special place in Russia’s relations with the region.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of relations between Russia and ASEAN, a partnership that has grown into an important platform for political coordination, economic cooperation and humanitarian exchanges.

“Russia highly values Thailand’s traditionally balanced and pragmatic foreign policy, as well as Thailand’s important role within ASEAN.

We hope the Russia-ASEAN summit next week in the Russian city of Kazan will bring new, comprehensive and concrete results,” he said.

Political dialogue between Russia and Thailand has become more active, and meetings between the leaders of the two countries are expected this year, not only in Kazan but also during multilateral events.

Contacts between the foreign ministries have continued regularly, including the latest discussions between the Russian and Thai foreign ministers held during the BRICS meeting in New Delhi.

Thailand’s growing engagement with the BRICS framework reflects its traditionally balanced and pragmatic diplomacy.

Russia highly appreciates this approach and views Thailand as an independent and influential regional player that can make a meaningful contribution to the development of a more inclusive international architecture.

Economic cooperation remains an important pillar of Russia-Thailand relations.

Despite global volatility, business ties between the two countries continue to expand.

Russian and Thai companies are exploring new opportunities in trade, investment, tourism, energy, logistics and digital technology.

There will be more opportunities to discuss cooperation during the second Russia-Thailand Investment Forum later this year.

Thailand remains one of the most attractive destinations for Russian tourists.

Since the start of this year, more than 1 million Russian tourists have visited Thailand.

In 2025, a record high of 1.9 million Russian visitors was recorded.

Relations between countries cannot be measured by politics and economics alone, he said.

Culture, education, sport, the media and the film industry remain equally important.

The “Russian Seasons” programme now underway in Thailand has attracted significant public interest.

The programme was launched in February with a concert by accomplished musicians accompanied by the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra (RBSO).

The RBSO will perform another concert of classical masterpieces with Russian conductor Ivan Nikiforchin and solo flautist Sofia Viland on Friday (July 31, 2026).

Later this year, audiences will see performances by three internationally acclaimed Russian arts companies: Helikon-Opera, Eifman Ballet and Moiseyev Ballet.

“I can say with confidence that our embassy in Bangkok will continue its work to promote bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries. We must remember the deep history of our relations, which dates back to the 19th century and King Chulalongkorn’s visit to St Petersburg in 1897.”

It is our shared responsibility to pass on to future generations the strong foundations established by the two monarchs of Russia and Thailand, to ensure the continued prosperity of both countries.

“Next year, Russia and Thailand will celebrate the 130th anniversary of relations. Throughout this history, our countries have maintained friendly and respectful ties, free from political confrontation or historical disputes. This unique foundation remains an important advantage in today’s complex international environment.”

For his part, Anutin offered his congratulations and praised the strong ties between Thailand and Russia, which have continued for more than a century and have kept developing based on trust and mutual interests.

He said he would travel next week to attend the ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan, which would be an important forum for strengthening cooperation between Russia and ASEAN, and he was scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.