Welcoming Remarks by H.E. Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, at the Reception in Celebration of the 115th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Thailand and Russia on Thursday, 21 June 2012, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador Mariyasov,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening and a very warm welcome to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I thank all of you for joining us in celebrating the 115th anniversary on Thai-Russian diplomatic ties.
The relationship between our two countries has a very special beginning.
In the late nineteenth century, Siamese visionary King Chulalongkorn forged a close and personal friendship with Tsar Nicholas II.
The Tsar had first visited Siam in 1891 as Tsesarevich, the Russian Crown Prince. He was welcomed with full honours.
At the time, it was a great reception. So much so that Siamese later refer to an elaborate reception of a guest “as if welcoming the Tsarevich.”
The Royal friendship grew into a formal diplomatic tie six years later in 1897 when King Chulalongkorn was warmly welcomed at Peterhof Palace in Saint Petersburg.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Much has changed over the century. So has Thai — Russian relations.
It is one which has evolved into a strategic partnership with multifaceted cooperation.
We have seen growth in trade, investment, education, scientific and technical cooperation, as well as tourism and cultural exchanges.
All this reflects a sense of renewed attraction for each other among our peoples.
Of course Thai people have long admired Russia as a powerhouse in areas such as sports, science and space technology. We are also a fan of your caviar, vodka, and the Bolshoi ballet.
More Thai students are looking at Russia as a destination for higher education, with over a hundred currently studying there.
I am glad to find that more and more Russians are making Thailand their top holiday destination. I hope they will make Thai food, Muay Thai and Thai spas better known back home in Russia.
With greater interaction, travel between our two countries has never been easier. Thai Airways International, Aeroflot and Transaero combine to operate daily non-stop flights between our major cities. This is aided by the bilateral visa-free management.
Ambassador Mariyasov,
In celebrating our past achievements, we also need to look ahead.
The future of our relations rests on the sharing of knowledge and ideas. So it is important that Thais and Russians understand each other well in working together in what many are calling the Asia-Pacific Century.
We hope that the forthcoming official visit to Russia of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra later this year will broaden our cooperation, especially in the fields of energy, technology, and innovation.
Internationally, we have worked closely together in pursuit of shared interests. In particular, we welcome Russia’s participation in the East Asia Summit. We can become partners in unleashing the economic dynamism in a greater East Asia community. We also very much look forward to the APEC Leaders Meeting later this year in Russia.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to end by reiterating that the foundation of Thai - Russian relations lies in mutual trust and respect, equal partnership, and sincerity. The future of our relations will continue to be shaped in this spirit.
Thank you and please enjoy the evening. ขอบคุณครับ
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th