Russian foreign minister attends inauguration of consulate general in Thailand

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday attended the opening ceremony of the Russian Consulate General in Thailand's city of Phuket.

Speaking at the event, Lavrov said that Thailand is one of the most popular destinations among Russian citizens.

Lavrov praised the Thai hospitality, saying the authorities create good conditions for Russian tourists and treat them well.

However, sometimes, there are situations that demand the help of professionals, for these purposes the new diplomatic mission was established, he said.

Lavrov called the opening of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Phuket "an important, but not the last step" to expand the diplomatic presence in the countries of Southeast Asia, noting that there are plans to open diplomatic missions in other countries.

He also said that he discussed the possibility of using Russian MIR payment card in Thailand at a meeting with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai earlier on Saturday.

Phuket is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, in the first five months of this year, six million foreign tourists visited the island.