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The May Bangkok GRAD Monthly Club Meeting was held in the format of an open business club evening, bringing together entrepreneurs, professionals, community members, and guests interested in business cooperation in Thailand.
At the beginning of the meeting, participants were reminded of the key principles of Bangkok GRAD: to remain outside politics and religion, to develop professional and business connections, to support each other’s projects, and to build a community based on trust, practical value, and goodwill. Guests were also invited to consider future membership in the club.
The meeting continued with a round of introductions. Participants represented a wide range of professional backgrounds, including trade representation, real estate, gemology, fintech, consulting, education, jewelry, tourism, diplomacy, and the Russian-speaking business community in Thailand. Several guests from Moscow and representatives of local business circles also joined the evening. Each participant briefly introduced their activities, interests, and possible areas for cooperation.
The main part of the evening was dedicated to the guest speaker, Vitaly Kiselev, President of the Thai-Russian Chamber of Commerce. He shared the history, current role, and practical activities of TRCC in supporting business relations between Thailand and Russia.
Vitaly Kiselev explained that the Chamber originated from the Thai-Russian Trade Association, established in 1999, and was officially registered as the Thai-Russian Chamber of Commerce in 2005. Today, TRCC is part of the foreign chamber ecosystem in Thailand and brings together around 80 member companies, including major Thai corporations and a wide range of small and medium-sized enterprises.
The discussion highlighted the growing interest in the Thai-Russian Chamber of Commerce after the pandemic and in the context of changing geopolitical and economic conditions. Russian businesses are increasingly looking toward Asia and Thailand, while Thai companies are showing stronger interest in opportunities related to the Russian market.
TRCC supports businesses through networking, seminars, business missions, exhibitions, cultural initiatives, and cooperation with other chambers and business organizations. Among the key areas mentioned were educational seminars, cooperation with the Moscow Export Center and the Russian Export Center, participation in investment forums and exhibitions, and engagement with JFCCT activities.
Several practical topics were also discussed, including logistics, cultural aspects of doing business, BOI opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, and a future seminar dedicated to money transfers and payment solutions.
A separate part of the presentation focused on TRCC’s work within JFCCT, where sectoral committees cover areas such as tourism, international trade, SMEs, education, and other important business topics. It was emphasized that these platforms are not only formal meetings, but also practical spaces for business dialogue, project development, and professional cooperation.
Vitaly Kiselev also presented several current and future initiatives of the Chamber, including participation in BRICS-related events, an upcoming lunch with the Prime Minister of Thailand, the “Cocoa Thailand–Russia” project, the planned opening of a TRCC branch in Phuket, and the creation of a dedicated SME committee.
The future SME committee is expected to support companies interested in entering the Thai market through initial consultations and further professional assistance related to company registration, permits, FDA procedures, BOI opportunities, and other practical matters.
During the Q&A session, participants discussed several applied business topics: how to bring Thai products to the Russian market, whether a foreign investor can open a large shopping center in Thailand, and how the Chamber may help students find internships and employment opportunities.
It was noted that TRCC is considering ways to share information about candidates and interns among member companies and is also connected with the JFCCT Education Committee.
At the end of the meeting, participants also discussed the differences between a trade representation, a chamber of commerce, and a business council. A trade representation is a government body working with trade and economic policy and cooperation with state institutions. A chamber of commerce is a public business organization focused on practical support for companies. A business council, in turn, is more oriented toward large-scale business and high-level government access.
The evening concluded with informal networking, allowing participants to continue discussions, exchange contacts, and explore possible cooperation within the Bangkok GRAD and Thai-Russian business ecosystem.
