Ukraine invasion: crashing Russian rouble, sanctions deal blow to Thailand bid to revive tourism

[MarkyM3]

24 minutes ago, friendofthai said:

Have you heard of Crimea? People say that the referendum cannot be used to separate Crimea from Ukraine. Because this referendum did not take into account the opinions of the other Ukrainians that live outside the Crimea.
And what about the so-called collapse of the USSR. The referendum in Ukraine cannot be used to separate Ukraine from USSR for exactly the same reason. You should ask the opinions of the other soviet people to do this, according to the law of the USSR. This had never happened. So one day Vlad will tell you that he cancel all the illegal decisions of 1991. Just wait a little more time.

Another "Soviet democrat". Keep watching RT comrade ???? 

 

[arithai12]

17 hours ago, Cherrytreeview said:

I don't buy Russian anything. Sorry.

Luckily, Russia accounts for a pathetic 3% of global GDP which makes it largely irrelevant for most countries.

Germany, i believe, has at least one year of gas reserves and I would think they are making alternative arrangements as i type.

As for the rest of your incoherent rant, i think you should stick to ????'s.

I know there are some kinky people on this forum but you wanting me to take a selfie of myself with my gas bill must be in a league of it's own.

You brut.

Apart from personal inclinations, largely understandable, I don't think it's your choice what gas powers your car or heats your home - it's the choice of the government of the country where you live.

As for "pathetic 3% of GDP", in the glocal economy it's often very difficult to track down the source of each good we use. Everything is connected, so when a country decides to punish another with economic sanctions the effects can be in both directions. The idiotic EU policy to buy russian gas at spot price instead of contract, started well before the Ukraine troubles, already resulted in european people facing exorbitant energy bills this last winter... or advised to "hug each other" as in some country. I think some european politicians are only too happy about the possibility to blame everything on the russians, diverting close inspection of their own recent actions.

 

 

[arithai12]

On 3/2/2022 at 3:29 PM, Pattaya Spotter said:

Phuket is chock full of them...don't know how they'll pay for anything soon with currency exchanges not changing "rubbles," their Russian bank ATM/credit cards stop working, and SWIFT no longer available for money transfers. I'm hoping for some condo fire sales for needed cash.

Phuket full of russians... true. As I see, they don't seem especially worried.

Tourists: their major expenses (flight, accomodation) were paid in advance. They also probably exchanged their money to dollars before flying, so I think they are largely ok. FLying back also no big deal, considering that most come from the Asian part of Russia.

Long-term residents: either they earn their money here in Baht, or else they live from savings/investments which are probably outside Russia.

 

The real hit is to those russian tourists who were planning to come later.

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Apart from personal inclinations, largely understandable, I don't think it's your choice what gas powers your car or heats your home - it's the choice of the government of the country where you live.

As for "pathetic 3% of GDP", in the glocal economy it's often very difficult to track down the source of each good we use. Everything is connected, so when a country decides to punish another with economic sanctions the effects can be in both directions. The idiotic EU policy to buy russian gas at spot price instead of contract, started well before the Ukraine troubles, already resulted in european people facing exorbitant energy bills this last winter... or advised to "hug each other" as in some country. I think some european politicians are only too happy about the possibility to blame everything on the russians, diverting close inspection of their own recent actions.

 

 

IMO the effects of sanctions are already biting Russia seriously.

If Russia is not supplying fossil fuels, there are quite a few others happy to fill the gap. Australian gas and coal prices have increased substantially in the week since the war began. The Saudis are probably enjoying the situation too.

 

Russian GDP should be a hell of a lot higher than it is, given its natural assets. A combination of Communist central planning, corruption, and despotism has put paid to that.

 

I was told about how central planning works by a Russian Jew who emigrated to Australia. As a student, he was sent to help harvest the wheat crop in the black soil region (chernozem) of Russia. The wheat was bagged awaiting transport.

The thread to sew the bags up failed to arrive for about a week. After that, a convoy of trucks was delayed due to a shortage of diesel for a couple of days. A nearby military depot refused to release fuel to assist, even though it had plenty to spare.

As a result, he estimated about 40% of the crop was lost to birds and vermin.

 

 

[arithai12]

19 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

IMO the effects of sanctions are already biting Russia seriously.

If Russia is not supplying fossil fuels, there are quite a few others happy to fill the gap. Australian gas and coal prices have increased substantially in the week since the war began. The Saudis are probably enjoying the situation too.

 

Russian GDP should be a hell of a lot higher than it is, given its natural assets. A combination of Communist central planning, corruption, and despotism has put paid to that.

 

...

 

Agreed, it's biting the folks in Russia. Already prices are spiking and for some private companies there's talk of reducing salaries. My comment was about the fact that Europeans will pay a price too, sanctions are not always so obviously one-sided. eg SWIFT payments are both ways.

 

Personally, and I know many disagree, I find it's a shame that the average Ivan and Olga have to pay for the choices of their leadership... leadership which remains as rich as before. A lot of russians are against the turn that things have taken as much as any other person. To think that this will cause some kind of revolution? Maybe, not sure, certainly not right away.

[Cherrytreeview]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

Apart from personal inclinations, largely understandable, I don't think it's your choice what gas powers your car or heats your home - it's the choice of the government of the country where you live.

As for "pathetic 3% of GDP", in the glocal economy it's often very difficult to track down the source of each good we use. Everything is connected, so when a country decides to punish another with economic sanctions the effects can be in both directions. The idiotic EU policy to buy russian gas at spot price instead of contract, started well before the Ukraine troubles, already resulted in european people facing exorbitant energy bills this last winter... or advised to "hug each other" as in some country. I think some european politicians are only too happy about the possibility to blame everything on the russians, diverting close inspection of their own recent actions.

 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/russia-ukraine-and-uk-energy-factsheet#:~:text=costs are managed.-,Unlike other countries in Europe%2C the UK is in no,linking the UK with Russia.

 

The UK gets 4% of it's gas from Russia.

They are an irrelevancy to the UK.

I couldn't care less if Russia is nuked.

Lower than vermin.

 

[kimamey]

On 3/2/2022 at 6:43 AM, daveAustin said:

Yes, bit if a blow. But, hey ho Thailand, it could be worse, some people are having their country blown to bits by one of those unhinged, cowardly ‘strongmen’. You know, the type that just takes. It is a bit frustrating how trivial these tourism people make it all sound though. And, though easy to brush off the Russians visitors—not my cup of tea—some of them are likely as appalled as the rest of us. 

Yes it's not Russia and Russians in general but their leader. A bit like China really

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, Cherrytreeview said:

 

 

 

They are an irrelevancy to the UK.

I couldn't care less if Russia is nuked.

Lower than vermin.

 

Perhaps it has escaped your notice Russia has an ample supply of nukes itself, and most certainly would use them if attacked with nuclear weapons.

Do you really want World War III?

[placeholder]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

IMO the effects of sanctions are already biting Russia seriously.

If Russia is not supplying fossil fuels, there are quite a few others happy to fill the gap. Australian gas and coal prices have increased substantially in the week since the war began. The Saudis are probably enjoying the situation too.

 

Russian GDP should be a hell of a lot higher than it is, given its natural assets. A combination of Communist central planning, corruption, and despotism has put paid to that.

 

I was told about how central planning works by a Russian Jew who emigrated to Australia. As a student, he was sent to help harvest the wheat crop in the black soil region (chernozem) of Russia. The wheat was bagged awaiting transport.

The thread to sew the bags up failed to arrive for about a week. After that, a convoy of trucks was delayed due to a shortage of diesel for a couple of days. A nearby military depot refused to release fuel to assist, even though it had plenty to spare.

As a result, he estimated about 40% of the crop was lost to birds and vermin.

 

That was then. This is now: 

Infographic: Russia, Ukraine and the global wheat supply

Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat, accounting for more than 18 percent of international exports.

In 2019, Russia and Ukraine together exported more than a quarter (25.4 percent) of the world’s wheat, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/17/infographic-russia-ukraine-and-the-global-wheat-supply-interactive

[Lacessit]

4 minutes ago, placeholder said:

That was then. This is now: 

Infographic: Russia, Ukraine and the global wheat supply

Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat, accounting for more than 18 percent of international exports.

In 2019, Russia and Ukraine together exported more than a quarter (25.4 percent) of the world’s wheat, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/17/infographic-russia-ukraine-and-the-global-wheat-supply-interactive

From that, it's not just a land grab. It's also a food grab.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernozem

Putin is true to form, he's always been a thief.

[rickudon]

On 3/2/2022 at 11:35 AM, webfact said:

Russians were the largest group of visitors to the kingdom in January and some 1.5 million of them came in 2019 and spent US$3.3 billion

Big spenders! that's 2,220 baht each!

[placeholder]

53 minutes ago, rickudon said:

Big spenders! that's 2,220 baht each!

That's US$2200 actually.

Edited March 3, 2022 by placeholder

[pixelaoffy]

Friendofthai? Friend of misinformation from Putin's Russia where there's no freedom of press or to express views against government on pain of being locked up ! That's where all Putin's main political opponents!

[ripstanley]

Why quote figures from 2019. Since Covid every thing has changed Now the megalomaniac Putin has  tried to change more history.

[desert dueller]

On 3/2/2022 at 11:11 PM, Boyn said:

Getting away from the topic of gas for  a moment ,I thought Thailand was expecting an influx of Saudis to fill the gaps in tourism, now those guys have got a shekel or two to spend.

Saudis paying with Israeli currency?

[Cult of the Sun]

On 3/2/2022 at 6:21 AM, Cherrytreeview said:

Everyone has a say.

It's called guts and civil disobedience.

If the Russian people are prepared to stand by and let a genocide take place in their country's name then they are as guilty as their bloodstained thug of a President.

 

Well, the U.S., where I live (not by choice), has bombed how many countries in the name of 'freedom'?  I could do no more about it than they can, I would imagine.. Most of the people in the U.S. are too fond of their smart phones, happy wife/ happy life mirage' & flat screens to risk it..

[ozimoron]

3 minutes ago, Cult of the Sun said:

Well, the U.S., where I live (not by choice), has bombed how many countries in the name of 'freedom'?  I could do no more about it than they can, I would imagine.. Most of the people in the U.S. are too fond of their smart phones, happy wife/ happy life mirage' & flat screens to risk it..

so whataboutism makes it ok for Russia to bomb civilians in Ukraine?

 

Edited March 7, 2022 by ozimoron

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, Cult of the Sun said:

Well, the U.S., where I live (not by choice), has bombed how many countries in the name of 'freedom'?  I could do no more about it than they can, I would imagine.. Most of the people in the U.S. are too fond of their smart phones, happy wife/ happy life mirage' & flat screens to risk it..

The U.S. won't let you leave?

[Cult of the Sun]

16 hours ago, Jingthing said:

 

 

16 hours ago, ozimoron said:

so whataboutism makes it ok for Russia to bomb civilians in Ukraine?

Who in their right or even wrong mind would want that..

[ozimoron]

15 hours ago, Cult of the Sun said:

Who in their right or even wrong mind would want that..

You appeared to be justifying it by ranting about the US

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

15 hours ago, Cult of the Sun said:

 

Who in their right or even wrong mind would want that..

 

Putin and his assorted friends here?

 

[onthedarkside]

A flame post commenting on a fellow forum member has been removed.

 

[Lancelot01]

On 3/2/2022 at 6:49 AM, pokerface1 said:

Perhaps another flood ????????

A plague of locusts? 

[Karma80]

On 3/3/2022 at 3:41 PM, arithai12 said:

Phuket full of russians... true. As I see, they don't seem especially worried.

Tourists: their major expenses (flight, accomodation) were paid in advance. They also probably exchanged their money to dollars before flying, so I think they are largely ok. FLying back also no big deal, considering that most come from the Asian part of Russia.

Long-term residents: either they earn their money here in Baht, or else they live from savings/investments which are probably outside Russia.

 

The real hit is to those russian tourists who were planning to come later.

 

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.