On June 11, Maris Sanjampongsa, the Foreign Minister of Thailand, presented an official letter of intent for Thailand’s full membership in BRICS to Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, according to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The exchange occurred in Nizhny Novgorod, where Sanjampongsa was invited by Lavrov to participate in the “BRICS Dialogue with Developing Countries”. This dialogue was a side event during the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ press office highlighted Thailand’s potential role in BRICS, stating, “As a bridge between various country groupings, Thailand could amplify the inclusiveness and interconnectedness of BRICS, thereby boosting its effectiveness in advancing the interests of developing nations.”
During this event, Minister Sanjampongsa also confirmed to Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, that Thailand is eager to secure its membership in the group as swiftly as possible. “Thailand is ready to join the BRICS mechanism swiftly, play a more active role in South-South cooperation, and intensify coordination and cooperation with China on different multilateral platforms,” Maris clarified.
The decision follows the government’s approval last month – led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin – of a draft letter expressing Bangkok’s intention to join the group.
This event marks the fifth BRICS meeting Thailand has attended.
Photo credit: iStock
