Thai cabinet approves draft extradition treaty with Russia

On Tuesday, the Thai Cabinet greenlit a draft extradition treaty with Russia. This development comes as reports suggest that a growing number of Russians are heading to Thailand to avoid the economic and social fallout from the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The treaty aims to facilitate collaboration between the two nations to suppress criminal activities.

Thai government spokesperson, Rachada Dhnadirek, affirmed that the extradition deal aligns with agreements Thailand already has in place with other countries. According to Rachada, the treaty does not require the approval of the Parliament since it does not impact Thailand’s economy, society, territory, or trade and investment.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year, many thousands of Russians have visited Thailand in hopes of escaping conscription and the repercussions of the conflict. Families have also both been visiting as tourists and some attempting to find a means of staying for a longer term.

An Al Jazeera report claimed that many of these individuals are considering moving to Thailand on a permanent basis. In fact, data indicates that Russians were responsible for almost 40% of the total foreign purchases of available condos in Phuket last year, that were able to be purchased by foreigners.