Russia Seeks Thai Visa Flexibility

14 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Ok, you want to push the false claim that that the Chinese , Russian and Israelis are persistent lawbreakers, then back it up with the data. You can use the crime stories that Asean Now has published since January. You will be disappointed to learn that the 3 groups you target have a lower likelihood of criminality than EU and British nationals.

It's not a false claim. The reality is that the highest incidence of high level and high value crime being propagated in Thailand by foreigners is from the Chinese, Russians and the rising stars of the Israelis hanging out in the farang ghettos of Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, etc..

The "EU and British nationals" are getting drunk and rowdy and generally getting their arses handed to them for their troubles. Different league entirely.

Russia and China responsible for the tidal wave of organized crime in Thailand post Covid.

Hope no one takes notice of him.

THe previous regime was way over generous to Russians (For whatever reasons), granting them huge stays before anyone else. The result was pure colonisation, business, and jobs taken.

On 5/22/2026 at 6:22 PM, Srikcir said:

Or as Russia often does, declares the country part of Russia and its people Russian citizens. Problem solved.

Its not too far fetched at the moment. With Indians, Israeli and Chinese buying land in Thailand one lot at a time, soon LOS will be a free for all while corrupt and greedy Thai officials get richer and richer

8 hours ago, BayArea said:

Its not too far fetched at the moment. With Indians, Israeli and Chinese buying land in Thailand one lot at a time, soon LOS will be a free for all while corrupt and greedy Thai officials get richer and richer

Please tell us how they are buying land.

I feel as though I'm missing out on something.

22 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

There are few actual articles detailing criminal activities of Israeli or Russians. There are however, multiple entries in the Forum from people repeating and embellishing stories and coming up with idiotic claims of criminality. The Israelis have a lower incidence of criminal activity than other nationalities, and when they do engage in criminality, it is almost always minor drug offences. The visa issues are relatively infrequent and minor too. The same for the Russians, except, instead of drugs it is drunk and disorderly, and their visa problems are relatively infrequent. Thee may be a large number of Russian criminals in Thailand, but unlike European and British thugs keep a low profile and don't make trouble.

A review of the crime reports will show that petty opportunistic thefts are often Myanmar workers. Europeans and British nationalities are at the top of criminal activity reports; Drugs, fighting, fraud and theft. The scooter gangs that were tormenting Phuket were French. The drug dealers who are trying to export back to the UK are British. Not a Chinese, Russian or Israeli was involved.

Wrong again. For your convenience here are a few articles: Here is a Chinese guy linked to 815 million baht crime, then a Russian man arrested with large drug haul, and of course innocent Israeli criminals, and more Israeli national arrested for nominee-run travel agency in Phuket, Israeli man arrested in Koh Phangan with drugs worth 50 million baht. There are lots more news articles of criminal activities at that website, other websites also have more articles of these BIG 3 foreign country criminals in Thailand.

Thaiger

Thaiger

Thaiger

Thaiger

Thaiger

2 hours ago, Banana7 said:

Wrong again. For your convenience here are a few articles: Here is a Chinese guy linked to 815 million baht crime, then a Russian man arrested with large drug haul, and of course innocent Israeli criminals, and more Israeli national arrested for nominee-run travel agency in Phuket, Israeli man arrested in Koh Phangan with drugs worth 50 million baht. There are lots more news articles of criminal activities at that website, other websites also have more articles of these BIG 3 foreign country criminals in Thailand.

Thaiger

Thaiger

Thaiger

Thaiger

Thaiger

During the period you reference, a greater number of Europeans and UK nationals were arrested for violent crime, drug offences, brawling and drunk driving.

The Avengers Israeli fellow, was not engaged in criminal activity in Thailand. He was arrested by Thailand at the request of Israeli police who wanted him.

The arrest of the Russian drug mule is a non story. On any given day, a person with a debt or drug habit is arrested in Thailand. On his day it was some dimwitted Russia. Hardly an indication of his being a dangerous criminal to others.

Ok, an Israeli was running a tourist agency without the proper visa. Big deal. It is a minor offence and not evidence of a criminal conspiracy. Every year it is some different group who is scrutinized. When I lived in Patong. it was Canadians and Australians selling bogus investment timesharesthen it became the Chinese and South Koreans and then the Russians with their unlicensed businesses. 1 incident does not make a crime wave.

The Story of Shai Alfasi's arrest in february is notable for its initial fanfare and claim of a large drug haul. For some reason, the story has died. The man was supposed to be running a major drug ring from the back of his motor bike. Right. Like most crime stories here and announced drug hauls, the announcement is bigger than the actual case and the supporting information. I don't doubt that he was a drug dealer, I do doubt the quantities claimed.

While all the above was going on, far worse was going on, all of which is ignored in your rush to blame Russians, Israelis and Chinese. Events like;

• The take down of the Nigerian drug traffickers in Bangkok. 16 of them in one action.

• The Filipina who abandoned her new born in a garbage bag

• The Lao national who cut up his partner into little pieces.

• The April action by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) seizing and freezing of additional assets worth 8.27 billion baht in connection with an alleged scam network linked to Ben Smith and Yim Liak. South Africa couple Ben Smith aka Benjamin Mauerberger, and his wife, Cattaliya Beevor are charged with “cross-border investment fraud” dating back to 2016, that links back to Cambodian operations. This is one of the largest actions in Thailand's anti fraud history.

• Two evil Taiwanese nationals were caught trying to smuggle live protected animals from thailand.

• Remember the European in March who ran around like a savage in Pattaya?

  I am no fan of Chinese tourists, but too often they are blamed for the misdeeds of Thais. This is illustrated by the recent issue of Chinese visitors to Phuket being accused of hunting parrotfish. What is not mentioned is that Thais sold the visitors the spearguns, and Thais took them to the waters off of Kata beach where they are alleged to have been illegally hunting/poaching. Easier to blame the ignorant Chinese than it is to hold the Thais who enabled the wrongdoing, responsible. It is no different than the mentality that allows the rental of motor scooters to foreigners who are not licensed to drive the vehicles. The foreigner is blamed, while the Thais who profit are left alone.

  No one on Koh Phagnan is innocent. No foreigner lasts long as a drug dealer or an illegal business without local assistance. the farang criminals are usually fronts for Thai criminals who promise quick profits in paradise or paying off local officials.

60 days visa free entry in exchange for fertilizers - why not...

If the Russian Ambassador pursues at all this visa extension matter, he might ask:

Q There are lots of farang getting one-year extensions, why not Russians?

A Those one year extensions are not 1900 baht

Why would the Russian Government ask for that ,you would think

that they would be asking for Thailand to deport them all back to

mother Russia , where they are running low on cannon fodder.

regards worgeordie

5 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

you would think

that they would be asking for Thailand to deport them all back to

mother Russia , where they are running low on cannon fodder.

You might think that but the Russians know they are not 'running low on cannon fodder'

or anything else for that matter..they even have washing machines and ball bearings !!!! 😂

18 minutes ago, johng said:

You might think that but the Russians know they are not 'running low on cannon fodder'

or anything else for that matter..they even have washing machines and ball bearings !!!! 😂

Doesn't matter what they run out of they just don't care as long as it's not vodka.

12 minutes ago, Bannoi said:

Doesn't matter what they run out of they just don't care as long as it's not vodka.

They have their heads screwed on the right way don't they ? 😋

16 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Please tell us how they are buying land.

I feel as though I'm missing out on something.

Because of the restrictions in Thai law , many foreign investors attempt to buy land "one lot at a time" by setting up Thai-registered limited companies or using local Thai citizens as "nominees" to hold the property on their behalf. This is often utilized to build private villas or secure small plots in popular expat and tourist areas like Koh Phan Gan, Koh Samui, Phuket, and Chiang Mai to name a few.

7 hours ago, BayArea said:

Because of the restrictions in Thai law , many foreign investors attempt to buy land "one lot at a time" by setting up Thai-registered limited companies or using local Thai citizens as "nominees" to hold the property on their behalf. This is often utilized to build private villas or secure small plots in popular expat and tourist areas like Koh Phan Gan, Koh Samui, Phuket, and Chiang Mai to name a few.

Thanks BayArea.

However, strictly speaking, it is the nominee company that is buying the land not the individual as implied in the article.