Russian Invasion

[meibanfa]

I do give him credit for having fun with his money with Chelski, better than running around war-profiteering like some people we could mention from the good old USofA.

It beats profiteering from state-sponsored opium wars.

sometimes american arrogance knows no bounds.

Whom do you think the EU member states voted as being the worst tourists? I'll give you a hint; it was neither the Russians nor Americans.

Edited April 24, 2007 by meibanfa

[sceadugenga]

I do give him credit for having fun with his money with Chelski, better than running around war-profiteering like some people we could mention from the good old USofA.

It beats profiteering from state-sponsored opium wars.

sometimes american arrogance knows no bounds.

Whom do you think the EU member states voted as being the worst tourists? I'll give you a hint; it was neither the Russians nor Americans.

Australians?

[think_too_mut]

Isn't the "alleged" russian mafia operating "supposedly" in Pattaya one of the main underlying reasons the immigration police have made the visa regulations a lot harder to qualify for the average expat living in thailand?

Soundman.

So hard that the Russians do not a visa any more. Until October 1 2006. they needed a 2 weeks visa on arrival, 50Euros. Since then, no charge.

I can understand their language, can even read (and understand) the script. Most of the R tourists come from Siberia, Kazakhstan and other remote parts of the former Soviet Empire.

Just look what planes land at the Utapao. 20 R jumbos at any time.

From what I gathered, most have 600-1200US$ per month jobs back there. Not a bad money in the sticks out of Moscow.

[pampal]

Americans and Russians, same same but different

[pampal]

Basically like all nationalities if they behave like idiots they are idiots, if they behave reasonably they are okay.

As an old money American, I concur!

Old Money American

[kayo]

I guess they really want to be like Americans but it comes across all wrong as they are probably only trying to imitate what they see from US movies.

As we are the “role model” for the rest of the world there are a lot of nationalities like that but the “American Dream” is not available to everyone ...

Welcome back JS.

I do give him credit for having fun with his money with Chelski, better than running around war-profiteering like some people we could mention from the good old USofA.

It beats profiteering from state-sponsored opium wars.

sometimes american arrogance knows no bounds.

Whom do you think the EU member states voted as being the worst tourists? I'll give you a hint; it was neither the Russians nor Americans.

Euhm.... Can you give us another hint?

[think_too_mut]

Americans and Russians, same same but different

A far cry. No similarities in a social context. Perhaps, no similarities at all.

The Russians come to Pattaya to see a palm tree, first (maybe the only) time in their life. Fairly honest tourists with their purses a bit limited.

They don't usually go after the available girls, it's cheaper back home.

Also, they don't ask "what hotel under 800B, guest friendly". They stay at "Grand Jomtien Palace", "Jomtien Welcome Hotel", the places 1200+ baht per night.

The average of the Ruskies who can afford it - brings better people to Pattaya than what the West dumps into Thailand.

[britmaveric]

Also their women often strip off on Jomtien Beach to the disgust of the Thai Families there who are bathing fully clothed![/b]

Hadnt notice that - might go take a look!!!

[meibanfa]

Whom do you think the EU member states voted as being the worst tourists? I'll give you a hint; it was neither the Russians nor Americans.

Euhm.... Can you give us another hint?

Ok since you asked. I believe the original BBC link expired although it is still listed on Google, but here is the gist of it:

The Brits are the World's worst tourists, according to a survey of 24 nationalities in 17 of the most popular holiday destinations, carried out by online travel company Expedia. http://www.expedia.co.uk/daily/press/press_releases.asp http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2137729.stm They were found to be the least well-behaved, the rudest, the least willing to learn the language, and the least enthusiastic in trying the local delicacies. Only in putting money into the local economy did they escape coming last.

[soundman]

Americans and Russians, same same but different

A far cry. No similarities in a social context. Perhaps, no similarities at all.

The Russians come to Pattaya to see a palm tree, first (maybe the only) time in their life. Fairly honest tourists with their purses a bit limited.

They don't usually go after the available girls, it's cheaper back home.

Also, they don't ask "what hotel under 800B, guest friendly". They stay at "Grand Jomtien Palace", "Jomtien Welcome Hotel", the places 1200+ baht per night.

The average of the Ruskies who can afford it - brings better people to Pattaya than what the West dumps into Thailand.

A better class of tourist??

Soundman.

[undercover]

Rude, followed by the normal pushing and shoving you get from the red square brigade.

[think_too_mut]

Americans and Russians, same same but different

A far cry. No similarities in a social context. Perhaps, no similarities at all.

The Russians come to Pattaya to see a palm tree, first (maybe the only) time in their life. Fairly honest tourists with their purses a bit limited.

They don't usually go after the available girls, it's cheaper back home.

Also, they don't ask "what hotel under 800B, guest friendly". They stay at "Grand Jomtien Palace", "Jomtien Welcome Hotel", the places 1200+ baht per night.

The average of the Ruskies who can afford it - brings better people to Pattaya than what the West dumps into Thailand.

A better class of tourist??

Soundman.

Possibly, the best group of tourists Pattaya has ever seen. Other than Koreans, Japanese, Chinese...those Asians who elect to stay 1 night in Pattaya instead of Rayong or Hua Hin.

The Ruskies are not usually tattooed, come with their wife and children and look like people in a good shape...nothing like social rejects from the West.

No wonder Thais have waived their visa charges ...they would love to see the Rs displace all the human wreck and ugliness Pattaya has been tolerated to host.

[britmaveric]

Not sure about that TTM, seen countless times Russians bickering with Thai vendours for hrs over a price diff less than 20bht. These are package holiday types - spend most of time in hotels and at the beach. Spend little from what I can see. I think if thai(s) had it their way - Chinese/Japanese only.

[think_too_mut]

Not sure about that TTM, seen countless times Russians bickering with Thai vendours for hrs over a price diff less than 20bht. These are package holiday types - spend most of time in hotels and at the beach. Spend little from what I can see. I think if thai(s) had it their way - Chinese/Japanese only.

Oh, sure the Rs coming to Pattaya maintain a tight purse. They are cheated in their own country, hard for them to believe Thais won't cheat on them. They have not seen any better, how do they know?

What counts is - they bring a picture of regular family people coming to there.

Japanese/Koreans would not easily elect to set their foot in Pattaya, given a choice.

[wolf359]

I guess they really want to be like Americans but it comes across all wrong as they are probably only trying to imitate what they see from US movies.

As we are the “role model” for the rest of the world there are a lot of nationalities like that but the “American Dream” is not available to everyone ...

Oh dear Oh dear !!

This is scary stuff !!

[pampal]

Americans and Russians, same same but different

A far cry. No similarities in a social context. Perhaps, no similarities at all.

The Russians come to Pattaya to see a palm tree, first (maybe the only) time in their life. Fairly honest tourists with their purses a bit limited.

They don't usually go after the available girls, it's cheaper back home.

Also, they don't ask "what hotel under 800B, guest friendly". They stay at "Grand Jomtien Palace", "Jomtien Welcome Hotel", the places 1200+ baht per night.

The average of the Ruskies who can afford it - brings better people to Pattaya than what the West dumps into Thailand.

They don't usually go after the available girls, it's cheaper back home.

Good One

[sunshine13]

what is the going rate for one?

[Jingthing]

Well, the Russkies are great for Pattaya, for now.

However, most of them are naive tourists. I have heard for most the trip is their first outside Russia. When they get more sophisticated and go other places, who will replace them?

[scousemouse]

We are all aware of the Great Increase of Russian Tourists and for me they are no better or worse than any other tourist.. they seem to leave their common sense at the airport before they venture into the country, but I was wondering what the general feeling is from the US contingent?

The US / USSR (no more) sentiment approx 20-30 years ago, was that of 'Bloody Commies," I know this is a but dated.. Do you still have that general attitude against them or are you now more tolerant with them as they are no longer the super force they once were.

ps Forgive me if you think this is a bit of a troll post, it is a little bit, but I was just mildy interested..

were all ( mostly ) white so why bother having prejudices in thailand

[Jimjim]

The Cold War ended 20 years ago and it was between the governments, not the people. Aside from a few, most Americans would probably have no more animosity or distrust of Russians than they might naturaly have of other people from countries in the region of Russia.

[cobra]

Actually I've never met a Russian I didn't like,

(or one I could beat in Chess),

Either male or female, most were skilled and hard working.

Yes there are exceptions but I can only speak from my experience.

[qwertz]

The Russians never went home from where I live. I recently moved to another block so I could get some sleep. Nice people but they party all night and every time I went to complain I was pulled in and got p1ssed out of my brains with tumblers of vodka.

[britmaveric]

I have a real close russian mate, she's first to complain about her fellow country men.

I do think it has much to do with not traveling and mixing with other nationalities for the most part. One of these days I'll have to have a visit there and see if that sort of behaviour is just the norm.

[cdnvic]

I guess they really want to be like Americans but it comes across all wrong as they are probably only trying to imitate what they see from US movies.

As we are the “role model” for the rest of the world there are a lot of nationalities like that but the “American Dream” is not available to everyone ...

sometimes american arrogance knows no bounds.

True, but in this case you guys are being wound up by a brit pretending to be a yank.

[richard10365]

The subject does have a slightly familiar ethnic ring to it. I'm from the southern US and it almost sounds like what I use to hear when a new african american family moved in. "The black folks are moving in. There goes the neighborhood."

I was never really sure why our darker skined brothers were called African American. It's not like they were from Africa. They don't call white people European American. They do call asians Asian American.

White people seem to make up names for everyone else but themselves. Thankfully, Thailand has grouped all us white people together into one class: farang.

It all sounds a bit raciest to me as does this post. However, racisim should be tolorated to some extent because we are all different in one way or another. Why try to ignore it.

[JR Texas]

The subject does have a slightly familiar ethnic ring to it. I'm from the southern US and it almost sounds like what I use to hear when a new african american family moved in. "The black folks are moving in. There goes the neighborhood."

I was never really sure why our darker skined brothers were called African American. It's not like they were from Africa. They don't call white people European American. They do call asians Asian American.

White people seem to make up names for everyone else but themselves. Thankfully, Thailand has grouped all us white people together into one class: farang.

It all sounds a bit raciest to me as does this post. However, racisim should be tolorated to some extent because we are all different in one way or another. Why try to ignore it.

JR Texas: I think the "truth" is that we are all ethnocentric and a bit xenophobic. And I think this has to do with our evolution as a species. It is not politically correct to say this, but it is evident from everything we see happening around us.

It is a biocultural problem--having both biological and cultural roots. Biology compels us to belief and act........culture (learning) moderates our biological impulses, so that it is not determinative. But enough of intellectual BS.

The question is about how Americans view Russians in Thailand. I have two Russian friends. They seem "colder" than the majority of my American friends, but I think that is simply a cultural perception. After a few beers.........who knows? One of my Russian friends did recently let me know that he thought some of the Russians coming here are extremely rude and stupid.

Well, get in line..........rude and stupid is how most of us are currently behaving no matter what our ethnic background. Am I ever rude and stupid? Sure........probably being rude and stupid right now.

My guess is that if you are American, you miss the days when 90 percent of the expats that you ran into in Thailand were American.......if you are British, you probably want to see 90% British..........if you are Russian, you probably want to see 90% Russian, etc., etc. "Birds of a feather flock together."

[kmart]

I'm a Yank, don't have any problems with Russkis overall. Unfortunately, I do exhibit some bias when I see a wealthy Russian (a la Abramovich), I figure they're a criminal of some sort.

Most Brits feel the same about Dick Cheney whereas Russians, or at least very wealthy ones, are welcomed. What Thailand needs is a wealthy one ( Russian ) to invest heavily in Thai football.

I'd guess most Americans feel the same way about Cheney, too. I guess I just presume that anybody who's a billionaire emerging from an economy that was owned by the government/people, must just have done some extensive grey/black maneuvering (euphemisms for extortion/murder) to amass that amount of cash. There have been many avenues to make a legit billion in the West for years. I guess oil in Russia was a chance for legit billions, but I'm guessing he's still a criminal.

I do give him credit for having fun with his money with Chelski, better than running around war-profiteering like some people we could mention from the good old USofA.

Abramovich plundered the Russian oil market with help from his cronies, and has made life very hard for millions of normal Russian folk unconnected with mafias and former Communist cadres.

Abramovich &

partners

He is laundering money through the international football transfer market, and pays over the odds for most players, to the detriment on the game generally. He is a crook.

[steveromagnino]

My guess is that if you are American, you miss the days when 90 percent of the expats that you ran into in Thailand were American.......if you are British, you probably want to see 90% British..........if you are Russian, you probably want to see 90% Russian, etc., etc. "Birds of a feather flock together."

Yeah, I think this is a very interesting observation.

Based on this, let's talk about birds; how do you explain that in a group of hot chicks, there is usually one down and dirty slapper that doesn't look good at all?

My theory is everyone wants to have someone to look down on; for the hot girls they have their ugly friend, and for the ugly friend she can look at all the other ugly slags and feel good that 'at least she has hot friends'.

A line of thought not unlike the 90% birds of a feather.

Continuing this line of thought, it would seem that every tourist group likes to feel smug that they are the best race as tourists OR that they personally are great, but all their countrymen are a bunch of uncouth morons. Either way, it leaves a lot of people to look down on as 'worse than moi'.

For many Americans, this means either:

- we are the best tourists we have the best country rah rah rah, Russians suck

OR

- I'm great, but my countrymen, what a bunch of maroons, what a bunch of castaways

OR

- I call on all my countrymen to watch this drive

Whatever. Key point is some tourists are nice, and some are not. Hard to make generalisations solely on race. But statistics don't lie; the Russians come, and they spend. They also spend considerably less time in the the flesh trade on walking street than certain other nationalities. For that, you would have to say, they aren't a bad bunch of blokes.

As for Chelski, well get used to ######s owning teams; first Russian billionaire with the semi hot wife, then arrogant American infidel him own sport team make Man U go boom boom and now ai-square face himself.

Nevermind, you can always cheer a truly British side like Scunthorpe :-) Or watch rugby (it's a ball, pass it on).

[popshirt]

As an American, one of the things I like best about Thailand is that there are not that many other Americans here!

[farang prince]

I love Russians. They are the best people in the world to party with. Their women are very beautiful and exceptionally spoiled. I was married to a Russian doctor for six years. The experience was so disastrous that I turned bisexual and I'm now in a great relationship with a Thai ladyboy. I thank my ex-Russian wife every day!!!!