2 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Fortunately, the Russian media are there to fearlessly expose any malfeasance on the part of the govt.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/05/03/journalists-worldwide-urge-russia-to-stop-persecuting-independent-media-a73813

Well screw ur independent media all together. Id rather live in autharitarian singapore, uae or russia, Malaysia or even Hungary than freedom loving eu approved Kosovo or Georgia or another hellhole with "free speech"

 

By the way. What GAN score Afghanistan had during americans? I bet it was high)))

1 minute ago, boogiewoogie said:

Well screw ur independent media all together. Id rather live in autharitarian singapore, uae or russia, Malaysia or even Hungary than freedom loving eu approved Kosovo or Georgia or another hellhole with "free speech"

 

By the way. What GAN score Afghanistan had during americans? I bet it was high)))

I know what you mean. I still shudder at the quality of life in Denmark. 

As for your comment about Afghanistan, the adjective "moronic" would not be inappropriate.

5 minutes ago, Amdesign said:

Never heard about DOXA. Very famous media, indeed ????

So it being not famous makes it okay to persecute it. Well, being small and weak is an enticement to bullies. And clearly Meduza is not the only news source facing persecution from the Russian govt.

Just now, placeholder said:

So it being not famous makes it okay to persecute it. Well, being small and weak is an enticement to bullies. And clearly Meduza is not the only news source facing persecution from the Russian govt.

Did ever You read Russian press?? It is quite open. Of course they crackdown the 'media' which are extremist or not officially registered or accredited in Russia. This is normal, every state would do that.

Oh...Not again...

Break out the vodka! 

16 minutes ago, placeholder said:

I know what you mean. I still shudder at the quality of life in Denmark. 

As for your comment about Afghanistan, the adjective "moronic" would not be inappropriate.

Mmm Denmark, hows taxes there?tough choice. Pay 0 taxes in dubai or pay 50 percent in Denmark?

U have no idea how happy id be knowing that huge part of my taxes goin to "housing migrants", "gender studies in Afghanistan" and supporting GAN institution. But id go to Dubai. Sorry mate. And screw freedom of press. Its freedom of who pay more. And as other dude said u call it "lobbying". Same <deleted>, different name.

 

Whats lobbying index in States by the way?

10 minutes ago, Amdesign said:

Did ever You read Russian press?? It is quite open. Of course they crackdown the 'media' which are extremist or not officially registered or accredited in Russia. This is normal, every state would do that.

And I'm sure that many of these organization regularly post sharp criticisms of the govt and do extensive investigative journalism.

3 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

But... do Greece and 

Turkey have nearly the same draconian rules as Thailand? 

No they don't..their rules for entry are quite simple. Not as simple as the pre-covid times,  but there is no CoE and so on. In order Thailand to match their requirements it needs to reopen in a way as stated before...it was 1st of October.

Planning myself to visit Greece next month. 

Oh, well, that's only 350,000 over what the bank is predicting yesterday - maybe they should talk to the bank before making each other look stupid

Spending how much ?

8 hours ago, placeholder said:

What does a lot mean? Can you attach a percentage to that? I think there were 40 million tourists per year coming to Thailand before the advent of Covid.

39.8 arivals in 2019 to be excactly but not all tourists, this includes business people, Thai returning, ship crew and so on. Furthermore I agree 100 % with Amdesign.

Better get vodka dispensers at 7-11's.  

predictions are nice.  reality is better. 

Until TAT realises that only way to encourage return of tourism is to withdraw the ridiculous restrictions being imposed and allow entry without restrictions for fully vaccinated and stop imposing heartbreak on tourists who have been trying to help Thailand by paying inflated costs and then if they are unfortunate to have come in to contact with someone who has tested positive but otherwise with no Covid symptoms isolating them in a hospital room without any medical treatment but with great additional costs when they would have been far better off by staying at home.

11 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Do they go to bars? I thought they just bought booze from the shops and fall down drunk in the street, and that's just the women.

My experience over the years with Russian guest/families they like renting villas they stay home in the evenings they normally make full use of the kitchens so cooking at home most days and drink at home,

11 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Can you attach a percentage of those 40 million who were here to see temples?

I shall wager its a lot lower than those who arrived here not interested in temples.

Not sure about that, weren't most of them Chinese who didn't have much control over where they were interested in? 

and if they each brought with them a little bag of Sputnik-5 vaccines as cultural gift; that would be greatly appreciated.

30 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

My experience over the years with Russian guest/families they like renting villas they stay home in the evenings they normally make full use of the kitchens so cooking at home most days and drink at home,

...sounds sensible to me and safe.

Really in the gutters now. Bottom fishing. Choke dee with all that! ????

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

he Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes to add 500,000 Russian visitors to its 1 million international tourists this year, after the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) allowed tourists inoculated with the Sputnik V vaccine to visit “sandbox” destinations in the country.

As expected, yesterday Kasikorn think tank said max 150,000 visitors this year and today T.A.T in their sealed bubble that they seem to reside in say 500,000 Russians.

13 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Good news for the tourism industry and much needed by the Thai people. 

Thai people don't need BS from TAT.... that doesn't put food on the table.

8 minutes ago, tandor said:

...sounds sensible to me and safe.

Might as well stay in Russia!

10 hours ago, boogiewoogie said:

Whats lobbying index in States by the way?

Reminds me of that good news story where a bus load of lobbyists drove off a cliff. Bad news was that there were 2 spare seats.

In the headline, "expects"

 

In the text below, "hopes"

 

In reality, we will have another guess tomorrow

????????????????????????????????

What about the Afgans?????

My prediction is that Thailand would save more money by firing TAT than they would get from Russian tourists.

Dreaming.

They are dreaming.

34 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Thai people don't need BS from TAT.... that doesn't put food on the table.

TAT is just another government department.

The average Thai would have no idea what they do, or who they are.