"There is no confirmed information on new Russian victims, but this cannot be ruled out because of the large number of unidentified dead," ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said, according to Interfax news agency.

He said that the Russian embassy in Thailand are searching for these missing people but contact with them has not been established yet.

Yakovenko noted that 44 of them might have been staying in the disaster area when tsunamis caused by a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean smashed into Thailand's southwestern coast. Another 36 people are expected to have been staying in other parts of the country.

He said no Russians were missing or unaccounted for in any of the other countries that were hit by the catastrophe.

Two Russians had been confirmed dead in Thailand.