Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will visit Russia in June as the two countries continue to forge closer bonds on trade, security and tackling transnational crime.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon announced the June visit, along with a trip to Russia by him and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak Feb 23-27, before he met Thursday with Russian Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev at the ministry in Bangkok.
Joining Gen Prawit, who also is deputy prime minister, was Supreme Commander Sommai Kaotira, army chief Theerachai Nakwanich, police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and Thawip Netniyom, secretary-general of the National Security Council. The planned agenda for the session covered cooperation on security and military affairs, anti-terrorist operations and transnational crime because there are a large number of Russians visiting Thailand.
Regarding trade, Gen Prawit said Russia wanted to sell fire-fighting airplanes and military engineering equipment for disaster responses and Thailand would sell farm products to Russia.
The country would not barter trade, but both countries would trade in such items reciprocally at close values, he said.
Gen Prawit denied that the meeting would discuss a possible order for Russian tanks. He said the army had yet to select a tank model.
Mr Patrushev would meet the prime minister at Government House Thursday afternoon.