Karma80

I agree, sadly. There is some hope. My industry has a lot of diverse nationalities and is made up of a majority younger generation. The few younger Russians I find to be no less objectionable to Americans in Phuket. Progressive, connected and worldly in the main. It makes sense, they were brought up in an era of pseudo-democracy. But, the older generation is another story entirely. Rude, unpleasant and in some cases very combative.

There are a lot of Russians who are exiting the country. Many certainly don't want to go back to face the incoming purge, hyperinflation and depression, and don't support Putin. Many have the means, or work arrangements to be remotely based in Thailand. Create a proper remote worker / digital nomad visa and watch people base themselves here and spend money. Not just Russians. But, that would be too easy. Let's just announce a new scheme every week to "lure" with "tactics" mysteriously untapped markets as the world faces a global conflict during a pandemic. Preferably with appalling timing and tone-deaf for maximum effect.

Australia is its own special basket case when it comes down to the adoption of EV, or indeed the country's entire pathetic approach to the switch to renewables or clean energy.

That's a terrible optic. I mean I get that the TAT has a moral compass that's glued firmly to $, but really? It's not just morally bankrupt but makes zero commercial sense. The Russian economy is turning to ash, travel links are evaporating, thousands of Russians are stranded in Thailand. I can only imagine this is a disgusting attempt to lure cashed-up Russians with the latest elite visa nonsense. Many other countries are moving to ban Russians from golden visa type schemes. I mean, I'm disgusted, but wouldn't be surprised.

You're likely right, It's interesting to see a sudden spike in Phuket of Russians posting to rent/accommodation Facebook groups looking for cheap 1-3 month rentals at sub 10k.

If Thailand is going take responsibility for 6000 Russian tourists, where is the offramp for that? Thailand should ask the Russian ambassador when they should expect the repatriation flights to arrive. Let those that want to return to Russia go home. I imagine there are a few that will want to stay here and have the alternate funding to weather it. Ukrainians are a different story. They are war refugees at this point.

Putin's machine won't care. They are past the point of return. At best, it will just be another nail in the already buried coffin which was any legitimacy to full-scale premeditated invasion. But, it's important the pressure continues to mount across all channels.

Sure you did....letters of solidarity my a$$.

It's almost like people think there is one of the most serious global conflicts of the modern age developing, in a pandemic, and threatening the global economy. I mean, where's your sense of adventure? Why don't you want to risk a two week holiday and play roulette (the Russian version has been cancelled) with mandatory quarantine? ????

I mean, it might come as a bit of shock news, but there's one of the most significant wars happening in modern times. In a pandemic. Probably not the ideal time to be thinking about booking your holiday. But until there is the complete removal of all risk of mandatory quarantine between two country pairs, and the removal of pointless testing, there is no chance of significant change in tourist numbers.

Bit worse than that. And the only reason that the cards will still work in Russia is they are processed using Russia's own domestic payments network. Visa and Mastercard now formally suspending service of Russian cards outside Russia, and foreign issued cards within Russia. https://usa.visa.com/about-visa/newsroom/press-releases.releaseId.18871.html https://www.mastercard.com/news/press/2022/march/mastercard-statement-on-suspension-of-russian-operations/

The Aeroflot fleet is mostly leased and those planes will end up being returned. Not that it matters, since Airbus and Boeing are not sending any maintenance or spare parts to Russia now. They only have about 3 weeks before the planes become unusable. Also, they have effectively no way of easily paying for fuel or airport fees. Pretty much international Russian commercial aviation will cease to operate.

I spend less in Thailand for a much better standard of living than in Australia. That's all that matters to me.

I really don't understand why Chiang Mai would be anyone's choice. It will literally shorten your lifespan.

Well, the other 35 will soon have it, just by roaming around Bangkok the rate things are going. And to be honest, the public attention has moved on from mild covid. The threat of WW3 will do that. Fair play to Thailand for getting them home though. Some other countries would leave you for dead.

Regardless of anything, this is the best outcome at this point for Russians and the world. Right now, we're all staring down the barrel of something that makes the pandemic look like a warm-up event.

You will find there to be little love of Russian tourists before this. Rude and arrogant were two sweeping generalisations. But, If you go to war, there are consequences. Not just for generals, dictators or soldiers, but your citizens are hardly about to be welcomed around the world. If I were Russian, I would be looking to get on the first flight back, while I still could.

Thailand is a laundromat for russian money. Now, why on earth would be want to go spoiling that? The moral compass is calibrated only one way here - money.

The UK is hardly a shining beacon of covid management. Thailand is just starting to get hit by the omicron wave which is already in decline in the west. It will pass through in the same way, but we are not in the same place yet.

So to be clear, all you did was change the number for no reason?

Just maybe, some people don't think it's too smart to be coming for a 2 week holiday long haul to a region which is only just starting it's omicron wave. Imagine that.

Despite all the calls of various people here to open, Thailand has not seen the impact of omicron yet, or how well its strategy in vaccination, or managment will hold up. It's only just starting. We're weeks behind many other countries. What you can be sure of is more uncertainty and changes.

All travellers, no matter the visa type, need a ThaiPass. That includes visa holders with multi entry permission. You can apply from within Thailand before you leave and use the Re-entry to Thailand application option. Personally, I'm waiting for a few weeks to consider travel outside Thailand until they drop the additional test etc, which seems enevitable at this point.

Take a look at daily life in Phuket. There is a marked difference in the behaviour of tourists and residents already. A generalisation would be the tourists don't give a stuff, and the residents try to do their best in being responsible. I think Thailand is maybe 24% vaccinatd with a booster. In Phuket, Thais and work permit holders were given Sinovac several months ago as it prepared for the sandbox. There are rounds of boosters still being rolled out. Point being, it's all very well calling for the lifting on restrictions, with pressure from hotel groups on the Phuket governor, but is Thailand actually ready to deal with widespread endemic transmission?

People with work permits got 2 x Sinovac as the first tranche. The AZ option came later, as I recall, for non-work permit holders. But yes, Pfizer for the booster.