Russian-Thai Investment Forum 2025: expanding infrastructure development, joint investment, and bilateral ties

The first-ever Russian-Thai Investment Forum, a milestone event in the strengthening of economic cooperation between Russia and Thailand, starts today on Phuket Island. The Forum has been organized by the Russian-Thai Business Council with the support of the Royal Thai Embassy in Russia, the Russian Embassy in Thailand, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Roscongress Foundation, and the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Relations between Russia and Thailand are well-established and founded on respect, trust, and reasonable political dialogue. Our countries have been unflagging in their efforts to develop cooperation in trade, economics, tourism, science, technology, and culture, taking advantage of a range of different platforms to work together. The first-ever Russian-Thai Investment Forum creates a new working platform allowing to expand business ties, present joint initiatives, and provide greater opportunity for the business communities in both countries to collaborate on a practical level,” Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation Anton Kobyakov said.

Interest in joint projects has been growing steadily among the Russian and Thai business communities as well as practical mechanisms for cooperation are becoming increasingly in demand.

“The Russian-Thai Investment Forum is an opportunity for the Roscongress Foundation to develop ties with international partners and pursue its business goals in Southeast Asia. Roscongress International and the Innovation Space, both effective platforms for businesses in two countries to engage in dialogue and launch joint initiatives, will be on full display at the Forum. The platforms will acquaint the international community with modern Russian developments in fintech, cross-border payments, international trade, digital business services, and investment solutions, leading in the process to the creation of new partnerships and wider economic integration,” Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Roscongress Foundation Alexander Stuglev said.

RTIF 2025 will start with the plenary session ‘Russia and Thailand: Investing in a Common Future’, where participants will discuss the general outlook and specific opportunities for the two countries to engage in mutually beneficial economic cooperation. On hand to take part in the opening ceremony and plenary session will be Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Thailand Evgeny Tomikhin, Chairman of the Russian-Thai Business Council Ivan Demchenko, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Alexey Gruzdev, and Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Relations with International Organizations to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals Boris Titov. Sessions will be held on the first day as part of tracks dedicated to ‘Banks, Funds, and State’, ‘Development and Real Estate’, ‘Transport and Logistics’, ‘HoReCa and Retail’, and ‘Digital Transformation’.

The business programme on 27 November will focus on healthcare and the development of biotechnology, education, and media, with experts from Russia and Thailand to discuss their countries’ achievements in medicine, educational innovations, and the transformation of the information space.

On 28 November, the culminating day of the Forum, the focus will shift to the creative economy and film industry, with discussions planned on the co-production of content and the impact of AI on filmmaking, a pitch session for film projects, and Alexey Chadov, Ivan Yankovsky, and Minnie Phantira in a performance of Maya in Binary Code directed by Golden Mask laureate Polina Kardymon.

The Forum will wrap up on 28 November with the MIR cultural festival at the Andamanda water park. The festival will feature a concert by Golden Gramophone Award winners Jony, Irakli, Alexandra Vorobyova, and a surprise guest in honour of the 30th anniversary of Russian Radio. The Russian performers will be joined on stage by Thai superstars Bowkylion, Getsunova, Kae Wanthakan, Wizzle, Rocketman, and The Mousses.

The Forum exhibition will feature major Russian and Thai development and investment companies, with Forum participants gaining access to the special Russian Export Center Made in Russia, Roscongress International, and Innovation Space B2B zones. The business programme partners are Rosatom and Sberbank. The official carrier of the Forum in Phuket is the Etagi real estate agency.

The Forum will also feature an artistic programme.

The Topography of Utopia Exhibition explores the intersection of the contemporary urban and cultural spaces between nature and industry, past and future, with artists showing how utopia can reflect unfulfilled potential and serve as a place for free thought exercising real-world influence.

Homeport Vladivostok is an exhibition of photographs taken in Vladivostok between 2012 and 2024, with top-class photographers painting an intimate portrait of Russia’s many-sided gateway to the Pacific.

“Investment between Russia and Thailand is expected to increase exponentially in the nearest future thanks to favourable borrowing conditions in Thailand and the interest of local businesses in Russian projects. It should also be noted that the number of Russians in Thailand continues to grow, and they are excited about the appearance of familiar brands on the Thai market. They are also responsible for a great deal of investment in the real estate market in Thailand and use the country as a transit hub for startups and businesses that reach all across Southeast Asia. The Forum is the direct result of an economic need to establish dialogue between our two countries,” Chairman of the Russian-Thai Business Council Ivan Demchenko said.

Official Forum website: forum.rusthaibusiness.com