Operator2002

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Reservists making a hasty move out of the country.

Yes, probably some of them - who have enough money.

There is a new popular word in Russia now - moGilization (instead of mobilization). Mogila is grave in Russian. As there is a big chance to be easily killed for mostly untrained people. 

On 11/1/2022 at 4:26 PM, ThailandRyan said:

So no Tuesday or Friday flights and just 6 flights a week in total from All cities listed to Phuket.  So lets say 350 a flight, which is upping the figures from what flew in on the 30th, an so that's about 2100 folks a week, and 18,900 folks total for the rest of the year since there are only 9 weeks left.  If they all stay in Phuket Thailand for the foreseeable future and do not travel to Pattaya or BKK then Phuket will enjoy a nice bump up, especially in the Rawaii Area where many Russians own condos.  I wonder if they will be flying to BKK from Russia etc.... 

Besides these charter flights there are also regular flights by "Aeroflot": 2 daily flights from Moscow to Phuket & 1 daily flight from Moscow to Bangkok.

Problem is the prices for air tickets 2-3 times more expensive than in previous years.

Tour packages 3-4 times more expensive than in previous years - not so affordable for most people.

So the sales will not be huge as before when tens of charter flights operated every 1-3-7-10-14 days from many large Russian cities (up to 16) to Utapao, Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, Krabi - in addition to many regular flights. 

Another problem is security of flights by Russian airlines which was officially downgraded (for example, pilots will not be subject to medical examinations as often as before or the approved use of non-original spare parts etc etc)

14 hours ago, bradiston said:

Couldnt find any flights to Phuket on Nordwind's or IKAR/Pegas website. Precious few outside Russia. Some Stans, Iran or Cuba, that seems to be it. Maybe it was a charter.

 

https://airbook.nordwindairlines.ru/online/search#/search

it's Icarus charter airline according to the announcement at Pegast web-site:

10 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

So I guess banks now give cash for Russians cards at ATMs?

Do Thai banks exchange Rubles?

You can buy USD (or other hard currency) from some banks in Russia (though the supply is scarce /limited).

You can issue UnionPay card in some Russian banks though you cannot be sure all these cards will work abroad of Russia. 

You can send money through some private services (for example VIPchanger) from some Russian banks' cards to a Thai bank account or bank card - but for a significant commission).

I think this rating refers to South East Asia region for worldwide tourists of Agoda users. ????

4 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

...stupid NZ sent 6 advisors to help the Ukraine Nazis...

Are you joking ) Have you seen a semi-swastika invented by Putin's regime now?... By the way any nationalists who were in Ukraine as in any other country did not play any significant role in Ukraine's politics. There is fascism in actions not in words now as whole cities are swept from the face of the earth for the sake of somebody's delusional ideas.

Thailand could allow Russia's vaccinated people to have only 1 PCR test on arrival free of charge with 1 day carantine till the test results  - and would get much more tourists from Russia. 

I have noticed - now that I work at home (for travel company) - I am spending much more time for the work: 9 am to 8 pm compared in office I usually worked from 10 am till 7 pm - with 1 hour lunch break ????

Why not Maldives...Too expensive for Indians maybe ????

2 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

for the whole of december??

 

 

Aeroflot opens an additional (third, in addition to Fridays and Sundays) scheduled flight on the Moscow-Phuket route on Wednesdays, starting from December 29.

13 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Pretty much the Tourist Visa Exempt countries (with a few exceptions like Andorra), and some Bilateral.

 

Chile.

 

 

Is the Visa on Arrival program still suspended? 

 

India and Russia citizens will require a Visa, correct?

 

 

In 2007, Thailand and Russia signed a visa waiver agreement. Since then, the number of Russians that have come to visit Thailand has simply exploded. Between 2007 and 2011, the market share of Russian tourists rose from 1.9% to 5.3%. 
Russian passport holders are allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without obtaining a tourist visa.

2 hours ago, Excel said:

so we are expected to believe he paid himself 200,000 THB for the hit ?

Somchai Jutikidecha paid 200,000 THB to Manas and Niphon for the hit.

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Gruesome.

I wonder what caused such a horrible scene?  

 

RIP

She is not dead:

"She was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital with the rod still through her chest. 

...

“At this stage, I have not received any update of Ms Khanuengnit’s condition from the hospital. I will call to check soon.” Lt Adisorn said.

“We will question her about the incident after she is discharged from the hospital.” he said.

Coffee is one thing but how you to drink it is also important: I think paper cups give a disgusting flavour.

10 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Eve and Boy have everything you need.

https://www.eveandboy.com/store

And this chain shops have rates with less mark-up that's why they are usually busy with people.
There is a shop in Terminal 21 (BTS Asok): https://goo.gl/maps/HitXjzkVfcTcTR8o9

I hope EU will approve the Sputnik vaccine otherwise people from Russia will not be able to travel to Europe because any other vaccines approved in the world are prohibited to be imported to Russia as far now ????

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

Must have a lot of extra Sputnik, because apparently the Russians themselves

Some people are afraid to use a vaccine, some people don't beleive authorities and some feel they have already been ill with Covid19 so they don't need a vaccine any more.

The worser will be the life of ordinary citizens in Russia the more people will be protesting.
And you cannot imprison everyone anyway ????

Hoping for nothing good until Putn & Co in power as many/most people in Russia are still indifferent or support him ????

5 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

I haven't needed a travel agent since the internet arrived, don't understand how these companies survive..

These incoming companies work b2b with outgoing agents in other countries. They usually offer much better rates for packages including transfer airport-hotel-airport, accommodation at a popular hotel, extra services like excursions. They have allotments/commitments of rooms in hotels at much lower rates than in open sale (for example online travel agents like booking com etc have higher/much higher rates or no availability for some high dates).

The nearby Yaowarat rd full of gold shops still will be much bigger attraction for the tourists ????

Yes, there is some surge of covid19 infections & deaths in Moscow and Saint Petersburg now - but you could demand all the outgoing tourists have to present a negative test results within 72 hours of the flight from Russia abroad - like it is done with Maldives and UAE for Russian tourists now (UAE also demand second test to be done on arrival to Dubai).

By the way all tourists returning to Russia have to make another test for covid19 within 3 days upon return to Russia. 

Turkey received over a million of Russian tourists since 1 August 2020 taking temperature on arrival and testing those with any symptoms of covid19.

Thousands of Russian tourists travelled to Maldives (now top source of tourists for Maldives), UAE and no problem.

It will be difficult for Thai people related to the jobs in tourism to survive with closed borders for such a long time.

11 hours ago, webfact said:

The news from the TAT reps in...Russia was far less optimistic. 

They said the pandemic was still rampant there and there was only domestic tourism, none internationally at all. 

How  ????
320 000 Russian tourists visited Turkey In August 2020;  over 500 000 - In September 2020;