Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is located on an area of 513,000 square kilometres and has a population of 69 million.

The capital is Bangkok. King Phumiphon Adunyadet (Rama IX) has reigned since 9 June 1946.

In 2015, Thailand's economy grew at 2.8 percent with the GDP at $398.1 billion. According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, bilateral trade with Thailand was valued at $2.05 billion over the same period.

The agreement to establish diplomatic relations between Russia and Thailand was reached during King Chulalongkorn's (Rama V) visit to St Petersburg in July 1897.

On 1 December 1991, the Thai Government recognised Russia as a sovereign state and the successor to the USSR.

The Joint Russian-Thai Commission on Bilateral Cooperation was established in 1993.

At present, the political dialogue at the top and high levels is visibly intensifying.

Cooperation in fuel, energy, agriculture, science and technology is also developing. Cooperation in military-technical and law enforcement sectors is expanding, and there are growing contacts between the national security councils.

About 200 Thai students are currently studying at Russian colleges and universities, including about 100 through state-sponsored programmes.

Interesting facts:

Three calendars are used in Thailand: the Gregorian calendar, the Buddhist calendar (which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, thus the year 2016 is 2559 in Thailand), and the Rattanakosin calendar (which began with the founding of Bankgkok and the ruling Chakri dynasty in the year 1782). The Thai New Year is celebrated on 13-15 April.

Thailand is among the world's three largest rice exporters.

In 2015, over 880,000 Russian nationals visited Thailand.