Russia supports Thailand to become member of EEU

BANGKOK, May 21 (TNA) -- Russia will support Thailand to become a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) which would enable the kingdom to increase combined trade between the two sides to five folds within five years, said Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai. Hailing an official visit by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha to Russia this week, Mr Don said Thailand would have to apply for a member of EEU through EEU secretariat which supervises its office. Once Thailand becomes an EEU member, trade between the country and Russia would become easier and Thailand would no longer face trade protectionism practices through steep tariffs, he said. EEU members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Gen Prayut just ended his official visit to Russia in which he attended the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit and also held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two government leaders agreed during the talks to increase bilateral trade five folds from now or to 10 billion US dollars by 2020. Mr Don said both Gen Prayut and Mr Putin agreed in principle to exchange Thai agricultural products with Russian weapons. Russia wants to buy 80,000 tonnes of Thai natural rubber plus unspecified amount of rice while the kingdom wants Russian helicopters for use in fighting bush fires in the country, Mr Don said. He said working committees of the two countries will now have to discuss the issue further. (TNA)