Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee yesterday said that Chayanon Poonsirasin, 16, was an exchange student in Russia under the non-profit AFS Intercultural Programs.

He was found dead on December 1 during a train trip from Yekaterinburg to Izhevsk, where his host family lives.

According to the website http://www.day.org.ru, the teen was travelling on the train with a group of 12 and was last seen alive at the Yanaul train station.

His money and belongings were still in his compartment and there was no sign of violence.

Russian authorities are yet to brief Thai officials on the investigation and autopsy results, Sek said.

The Thai Embassy in Moscow has assigned consular officers and translators to cooperate with Russian police, he said.

It also asked the Russian Foreign Ministry to inform local police and administrators to cooperation with the embassy, he added.