Russia and Thailand outline new joint initiatives to expand economic cooperation

Russia and Thailand are preparing to broaden economic cooperation through a set of practical joint projects and investment initiatives across technology, tourism and research-driven industries. The focus on actionable partnerships was highlighted during the First Russia–Thailand Investment Forum, held in Phuket with the participation of more than 600 representatives from government, expert circles, and business communities of both countries.

Speaking at the forum, Evgeniya Aksenova, Deputy Director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, underlined growing interest in pharmaceutical cooperation, IT development, and tourism infrastructure. She stressed that the next stage of collaboration should prioritise “creating tailored mechanisms for joint implementation”, particularly in areas requiring direct financial channels and improved payment systems to support investment flows. This is reported by the official website of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

Aksenova noted that Russian businesses are showing increased interest in large-scale tourism infrastructure projects in Thailand, alongside joint initiatives in research, technology and human capital development. The extensive agenda of the two-day forum – featuring 40 thematic sessions across 10 sectors – reflected a shared commitment to shifting from dialogue to concrete cooperation.

Thailand’s representatives also emphasised the forum’s potential to become a long-term mechanism for advancing bilateral trade and investment. Discussions pointed to the need for structured platforms that could facilitate joint ventures and help increase mutual trade volumes.

A significant portion of the programme focused on creative industries, where both countries are already developing partnerships. Russian and Thai film and media institutions presented proposals for co-productions, content exchange and joint training programmes, while film producers discussed projects suitable for bilateral development. Aksenova noted that interest in collaboration is growing on both sides, with Thai films gaining popularity in Russia and Russian media content increasingly produced in Thailand.

Thai film industry representatives underlined the need to establish bilateral regulatory frameworks to enable co-production. Suggested formats include agreements between ministries, regional partnerships, and cooperation within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which could provide a structured foundation for long-term cultural and creative joint ventures.

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