BANGKOK, December 26. /TASS/. Thailand has accepted Russia’s invitation to become a BRICS partner state, which marks an important step toward joining the group as a full-fledged member, Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nikondet Phalangkun said at a briefing.
"On October 31, Thailand received an invitation to become a BRICS partner state from Russia, the group’s 2024 chair. On December 24, the cabinet held a meeting, deciding that Thailand would give a positive response to the invitation. On the same day, the Thai foreign minister sent a letter to the Russian foreign minister, confirming Thailand’s consent to join BRICS as a partner state," he pointed out. "Becoming a BRICS partner state is an important step for Thailand on its way to eventually join BRICS as a full-fledged member," the diplomat added.
As a BRICS partner state, Thailand hopes to raise the level of relations with the group’s members in order to gain better opportunities for the development of its economy. The BRICS partner status will also increase Thailand’s role in building relations with developing countries and creating a system of relations that will be more beneficial for developing countries. In the process, Thailand can be the builder of bridges between BRICS nations and other countries, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted.
Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa handed the country’s letter of intent to become a full-fledged BRICS member to top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod in June. The Thai Foreign Ministry stated on the occasion that the "BRICS Dialogue with Developing Countries" meeting in Nizhny Novgorod was the fifth high-level BRICS event the country took part in.
The group has expanded twice since being created in 2006. South Africa joined the four founding nations - Brazil, Russia, India and China - in 2011. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates became full-fledged BRICS members on January 1, 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said following a BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan in October that a list of the group’s partner countries had been approved. However, it wasn’t made public. The Russian leader explained that first, invitations would be sent to those countries and once they gave a positive response, the countries’ names would be announced.