Russian and Ukrainian tourists in Thailand beginning to face financial transaction and travel problems due to sanctions, invasion

[Chongalulu]

3 hours ago, chang1 said:

Not much sympathy for the Russians but certainly the Ukrainians should be helped. 

I'm glad there are no Russians where I live as I would get in trouble for telling them what I think of their leader. 

Somewhat over simplistic. It’s hardly like Russia is a democracy and citizens are all behind their leader (think of Thailand in that respect too). The fallout for ordinary Russians of this action is proving very hard (as evidenced here) so do you think they are cheering Putin on ? 

[wwest5829]

29 minutes ago, StraightTalk said:

Yes, but NATO is!

How so, pray tell. A defensive treaty is a threat only for aggressors. Russia (yes, other country examples can be found) ... unilaterally took military actions previously, including the unilateral seizing of Crimea and now invading Ukraine. No wonder nations want to ban together to protect themselves. Ukraine stands alone because it is not a NATO nor EU nation ... still I am very glad to see a united NATO EU and even neutral nations stepping forward with Russian condemnation and supplying military/humanitarian support for Ukraine. Stingers, tank busters, cruise missiles needed immediately. Give Ukrainians the means to resist the Russian military aggression!

[SiSePuede419]

To the Ukrainian people: I'm sorry this happened to you.

 

To the Russian people: Good!  When you make it back, throw a bag over your Mob boss's head and throw him in a nice padded cell in the basement of the Kremlin.  He's ????.

 

[OmegaRacer]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

are you for real, western countries are providing them with tools to defend themselves, if you have a problem with that then you are part of the "problem".     #####

Yes, he's for real and quite right. There have been agreements in place to keep countries as buffer zones between Russia and the West (Churchill to Stalin at Yalta and Potsdam in 1944-45 first and NATO to Yeltsin in the 1990s in return for accepting the reunification of Germany). However, these concessions have been pretty much ignored, leading to Putin to lash out.
Not that I condone any of his actions, but it would be wise to consider all points of views before pointing fingers. The world ain't all neatly black and white, despite what some people think.

And making the Russian tourists here scapegoats for their president's action is exactly the shortsighted and irrational-emotional reaction that got us in this mess in the first place.

Edited March 2, 2022 by OmegaRacer

[MrJ2U]

Don't feel sorry for the dastardly Russian tourists.

 

Heartfelt for the Ukranian tourists. 

Hopefully they get  a special VISA while that Stalin impersonator Putin is ruining lives in Europe. 

 

Horrible!

Edited March 2, 2022 by MrJ2U

[BE88]

TAT now you have soon one million tourists, sorry correct name is political refugees, think about Visa homeless.

[JohnHans]

3 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Good luck telling Putin to do anything.

Your right, Putin does not communicate to anyone but a bullet could communicate directly to his head.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes.  I would let the Ukrainians stay for free.  The Russians can fend for themselves good luck.

Ukrainians should be given refugee status, and Russians sent back to demonstrate against there tyrant leader.

[StraightTalk]

23 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Does anyone seriously think that NATO would ever have invaded Russia !! Putin is still living in the 1940s.

Did anyone seriously think that Cuba would ever have invaded USA...

[fredscats]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

Ukraine was not a military threat to Russia.

Yes, but NATO is!

•  

• ...and there lies the rub,if Ukraine was a member of NATO none of this would have happened

Edited March 2, 2022 by fredscats

[KarenBravo]

3 hours ago, chang1 said:

Not much sympathy for the Russians but certainly the Ukrainians should be helped. 

I'm glad there are no Russians where I live as I would get in trouble for telling them what I think of their leader. 

They would probably agree with you.

[StraightTalk]

29 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Are you always this rude to someone you have never met?

No, actually.

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, JackGats said:

There was much Russian to be heard around Beach Road in Pattaya as recently as on week ago. The impression was that the Russians could well have been the major tourist community.

So you can tell the difference between Russian and the Ukraine language ? incidentally Russian is spoken by many Ukrainians. 

[Henryford]

1 hour ago, dlclark97 said:

I do not think that all Russian citizens should be condemned for their government leaders actions. 

Who do you think are killing Ukranian women and children? It's not Putin it's Russian citizens.

[Neeranam]

24 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

I wonder how immigration will see it.

Russians on retirement visa and sending 65k monthly.
Impossible now and if it would still be possible, they must send much more of their worthless currency.

As a Thai, I hope they send ALL Russian home immediately. I hope we ban ALL Russian flights, like the US has done. 

We have to send a message to the Russian people. 

[Lacessit]

Just now, StraightTalk said:

No, actually.

I guess that means it's best to put you on ignore, so you don't get a second chance to do so. Goodbye.

[bunnydrops]

39 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

So you're presenting one side, right? I guess? With an older article of dubious origins. There are neo nazis everywhere, I'm sure you're gung-ho on Russia denazifying those places too?

 

We used to have a lot more Russian trolls here.

 

I am sure everyone here has read "our side" already.

I am certainly not pro Russian. I don't believe Russia had the right to invade even if they didn't like the ways things were going. As for the Russians here, they are just people who came here to have a good time, Let them be.

[Khun Loong]

Less Russian tourists. Hmmmmm

Edited March 2, 2022 by Khun Loong

[KarenBravo]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Maybe you could supply the forum with pictures of these good hearted Russians holding up their Ukraine flags and end the war placards in any demonstrations for us all to see ? 

My pleasure.......

 

From the Phuket News

https://www.thephuketnews.com/ukrainians-russians-in-phuket-call-out-for-peace-83273.php

[Bkk Brian]

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

As a Thai, I hope they send ALL Russian home immediately. I hope we ban ALL Russian flights, like the US has done. 

We have to send a message to the Russian people. 

Not just the US, all Russian flights have been banned from EU and UK airspace.

[OmegaRacer]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Maybe you could supply the forum with pictures of these good hearted Russians holding up their Ukraine flags and end the war placards in any demonstrations for us all to see ? 

You may not be aware that there have been protests in Russia (St. Petersburg) and thousands have been arrested.

I have a good Russian friend who lives in Moscow and who has a large part of his family in Ukraine. He told me it's not possible to protest against the government as you would be arrested immediately or worse. People are scared.

 

[fredscats]

This war will finish soon,probably in few days ,Ukraine even more divided,but financial measures drawn up against Russia will be there for long time,will bring Russia to its knees

[mudpuppy]

2 hours ago, sumongkhwai said:

"... who you gonna call?..."

Johnny English will save the day!

[StraightTalk]

5 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I guess that means it's best to put you on ignore, so you don't get a second chance to do so. Goodbye.

That's fine. That's what the 'ignore function' is there for. They let you tailor your view of this forum and squelch out the noise.

I'm sure that proclaiming "putting me on your ignore list" had you thinking that had some emotional traumatic effect upon me.  That is a child's expectation. If you're going to 'ignore' someone, just do it. Don't announce it. Rather than disturb the 'ingoree' with an inane and petulant insult that they're going to get 'ignored', it instead reflects poorly on the childish mindset of the 'ignorer'.

[itsari]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Like to see how the economics of supporting yourself indefinitely without any income would work out on that one

Could ask the Rohingya refugees they have forced back out to sea for a comment .

[Neeranam]

15 minutes ago, OmegaRacer said:

You may not be aware that there have been protests in Russia (St. Petersburg) and thousands have been arrested.

I have a good Russian friend who lives in Moscow and who has a large part of his family in Ukraine. He told me it's not possible to protest against the government as you would be arrested immediately or worse. People are scared.

 

Interesting. Are the soldiers held at gunpoint to join the army?

This is a war and drastic measures ensue. I urge all hotel owners and other business owners to ban Russians. 

[Neeranam]

10 minutes ago, StraightTalk said:

That's fine. That's what the 'ignore function' is there for. They let you tailor your view of this forum and squelch out the noise.

I'm sure that proclaiming "putting me on your ignore list" had you thinking that had some emotional traumatic effect upon me.  That is a child's expectation. If you're going to 'ignore' someone, just do it. Don't announce it. Rather than disturb the 'ingoree' with an inane and petulant insult that they're going to get 'ignored', it instead reflects poorly on the childish mindset of the 'ignorer'.

Who are you writing to to/for?  

[Lipboy]

My very good friend Konstantin lives in Moscow with his wife, two sons and his Father in Law in a high rise Apartment block. He is the Russian representative for a Machine Tool Company based in Switzerland. Many years ago his job was in the International Arms trade but he recognised this was full of corrupt individuals and a potentially dangerous trade to be connected with so “got out”. This was despite many of his fellow Russian Arms Dealers own many of the most expensive boats in European mariners.  
 

In our many exchange of WhatsApp messages over the last two years (since our first meeting in Germany) he has consistently criticised Putin. Since the invasion of Ukraine was forecast a few weeks ago he stated if it did occur he would probably lose his “very good job”, e.g. travelling all over Russia (by Plane, Train or Car) with a generous expenses account and a relatively good Salary (“I think”?) which allowed him to take some foreign holidays with his wife and many mini breaks within Russia with his two sons and his older daughter. He has in recent days reported that there are many protesters on the streets in Moscow demonstrating against Putin’s war on Ukraine and it is well known many are then arrested by the Russian Police. Below is a direct “word by word” WhatsApp message I received from Konstantin yesterday. 
 

“If someone publicly expresses his point of view on which opposes the official one he can be deprived of his citizenship”

 

Last year the Russian Rouble lost about 50% of its exchange value with $ and in more recent days lost an additional 30%. So, for someone like Konstantin (and his Employer) this has already hit him hard. Putin is not a President he has ever supported and even less so now BUT……… 

 

………. he told me yesterday he has to take even extra care because many of his friends do support Putin’s war in Ukraine. So, he finds himself in a particularly difficult situation. If Konstatin’s situation is repeatedly replicated then it will very difficult to topple Putin via mass public demonstrations if they then face arrest, the hostility of good friends and the prospect of withdrawal of their Russian citizenship (and all the unknown consequences this would entail?). it would seem that the only people who can force Putin from Government are those close to him either inside The Kremlin or his Military Chiefs? Problem is that Putin has over the last few years only promoted corrupt individuals who would lose their own privileges if Putin does not remain “all powerful”. Hopefully, these Oligarths, etc. will soon suffer the consequences of the Sanctions imposed in recent days by the USA, UK, The EU, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, and ???? others? 
 

Lets all hope that Putin will be removed from Power soon as otherwise all over The World we will suffer the consequences of this one mad man’s action that he took so recklessly last week for many years to come. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RafPinto]

Putin.

Is this a french word?

Asking for a friend.

[Mike Teavee]

6 hours ago, JackGats said:

There was much Russian to be heard around Beach Road in Pattaya as recently as on week ago. The impression was that the Russians could well have been the major tourist community.

I've noticed the same in the Wongamat area where there seems to be many more Russian (or possibly one of the Former USSR countries) people about, mainly young families.

 

4-5 familes have moved into my condo block (2 on my floor alone) so it seems they're planning to stay for at least a month, can't say I blame them given everything that's happening "Back Home" but can only imagine the financial hassles they're going to face if they can't use their credit cards / ATMs.