The Russian Embassy informed the Thai Foreign Ministry today (Thursday) that President Vladimir Putin will not attend the upcoming APEC leaders meeting on 18^th and 19^th November 2022.

First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov will represent him at the meeting in Bangkok. Putin had earlier pledged to come to Bangkok for the meeting, to express his views on economic cooperation. The war in Ukraine, which Russia started is, however, consuming his time, making it impossible for him to attend.

For the ASEAN-related summits in Phnom Penh and the G20 summit in Bali, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent Putin. Both summits have invited representatives of Ukraine as guests of the hosts. Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will take part in the two summits. In Phnom Penh, he will sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, along with Spain.

In related news, Korean Prime Minister Han Duck Soo will represent President Yoon Sok Yeol at the APEC meeting. In Phnom Penh, on the side-lines of the ASEAN-related summits, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ochoa is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Yoon on 11^th November.

According to informed diplomatic sources, both sides will discuss their 5-year action plans, to further strengthen their strategic relationship. Korea is also keen to take part in the development of the Mekong sub-region. It has contributed financial assistance worth US$5 million to various Mekong developmental projects.

Meanwhile, the Korean Ambassador to Thailand, Moon Seoung-Hyun, went to Phetchabun yesterday, the hometown of Natticha Makaew, the young girl who died in the Halloween crush in Itaewon in Seoul, to attend the funeral with her family. The Korean government has paid compensation for the life lost and for the repatriation of Natticha’s remains.