BEIJING, October 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin assured the Thai premier at a meeting that Russia would do its best to develop relations with Thailand, saying he expected the two economies to boost trade.

"For our part, we will do all we can to develop relations as intensively as possible and make a notable contribution to developing our countries," Putin told Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

"Unfortunately, bilateral trade declined a bit amid the turbulent international situation last year," the Russian leader lamented, adding that he expected the joint commission on bilateral economic cooperation to be able to reverse this trend.

Putin described the ongoing humanitarian ties between Russia and Thailand as encouraging. He also noted the growing tourist flow. The next two years, he said, will be years of cultural exchange and tourism in the two countries, he added.

"We have been cooperating actively in the international arena, too," Putin concluded.