3,200 Russian tourists stuck in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao area due to Russia/Ukraine conflict and sanctions

[webfact]

 

By Nop Meechukhun

 

Surat Thani – An Honorary Consul from the Russian Consulate in Surat Thani met with the Koh Samui district chief officer this morning, March 9th, to discuss solutions to assist Russian tourists who were affected by the Russia-Ukraine war.

 

Honorary Consul Ashwani Bajaj and Koh Samui Tourism Promotion Association president Ratchaporn Phoonsawas arrived at the Koh Samui District Office at around 10:00 AM. to meet District Chief Officer Chayapol Inthasupha to discuss ways to provide assistance for 3,200 Russian tourists who were traveling in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao.

 

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They were currently unable to return home due to airspace closures, airlines shutting temporarily due to sanctions, and to make payments via most credit cards and international transfers due to a ban of selected major Russian national banks. Some had been able to work with Unionpay, a Chinese company, to gain access to funds, but many were still struggling.

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/03/09/3200-russian-tourists-stuck-in-koh-samui-koh-phangan-and-koh-tao-area-due-to-russia-ukraine-conflict-and-sanctions/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-03-10

 

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[ryane66]

Airspace closed?? It is open between Russia and Thailand. Just afraid their leased planes will be seized.

[scotsdude]

No sympathy…. 1000’s trying to flee Ukraine with bombs raining down on them….. Enjoy it while you can… You’ll all be shunned worldwide… 

[Kinnock]

If any of them had a gram of compassion in thrir cold souls, they would be spending their extended holiday demonstrating against the war outside their own embassy.

[ezzra]

Look on the bright side, at least here they can enjoy Pizza hut McDonald and Pepsi and all the other stuff that are now banned in Russia  by the western conglomerates...

[Excel]

43 minutes ago, scotsdude said:

No sympathy…. 1000’s trying to flee Ukraine with bombs raining down on them….. Enjoy it while you can… You’ll all be shunned worldwide… 

Perhaps they could temporarily house all the Russians only, on Koh Tao. They should be happy there as it's nickname is "Death Island"

Edited March 9, 2022 by Excel

[tonray]

I am not concerned because I have every expectation the Russian "mafia" and wealthy ellite here in Thailand will offer compassionate  help to their compatriots . (likely at around 20% rate on loans and snapping up condos at bargain fire sale pricing)...after alll somebody needs to pay for those new yachts to replace the ones seized by sanction.

[sammieuk1]

At least their internet has not been blocked as they see the reason in full technicolor of exactly why things are getting very uncomfortable for them ????

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Honorary Consul Ashwani Bajaj and Koh Samui Tourism Promotion Association president Ratchaporn Phoonsawas arrived at the Koh Samui District Office at around 10:00 AM. to meet District Chief Officer Chayapol Inthasupha to discuss ways to provide assistance for 3,200 Russian tourists who were traveling in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao.

I'm sure the embassy can muster up a soup kitchen.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, Kinnock said:

If any of them had a gram of compassion in thrir cold souls, they would be spending their extended holiday demonstrating against the war outside their own embassy.

They can thank Putin for their dilemma.

[roo860]

Ashwani Bajaj .

That's a good old Ruskie name.

????????

[PJ71]

1 hour ago, ryane66 said:

We were stuck out of Thailand at the beginning of covid. After 5 months in Mexico we reached out to the Thai Embassy. They were a great help but we had to fund everything and we didn't whine or expect help. I made a bad decision and l lived with it. Airfares , testings and quarantine set us back 200,000 baht. I didn't regret 

spending the money to get my family back to Thailand. Now everyone expects help for the choices they made.

Explain how you were stuck?

 

Were airports in Mexico all closed?

[Will B Good]

I know it is wrong and I do feel guilty......but I am finding it extremely hard to feel any great level of sympathy for these people.

[smedly]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

to discuss solutions to assist Russian tourists who were affected by the Russia-Ukraine war.

people are being banged up in Russia for calling it a war

[FalangKino]

The bias and discrimination shown towards average Russian people here is disgusting. They aren't responsible for Putins decision.

[jacko45k]

So are we saying the Russian Government is showing them as much regard as it does the Ukrainians being bombed by them in hospitals! 

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, FalangKino said:

The bias and discrimination shown towards average Russian people here is disgusting. They aren't responsible for Putins decision.

True...and you have to convince your self many might vehemently oppose what he is doing.

 

I would hate for people to think as a Brit, I support the Tory government's behaviour toward Ukrainian refugees.

[tomyami]

4 minutes ago, FalangKino said:

The bias and discrimination shown towards average Russian people here is disgusting. They aren't responsible for Putins decision.

However about the complexities his popularity rate is 70% if it was the other way around i don't think there would be a war

[JBChiangRai]

What absolute rubbish.

 

Emirates are running a normal schedule to Moscow, any Russian can easily get home.  As for Ukraine, that’s a different matter.

 

I’m appalled by the tourism industry here, especially the 5* hotels run by Western General Managers. Zero statements supporting Ukraine and condemning Russia.  Organisation’s like SKAL are conspicuous by their failure to even mention the genocide and war crimes going on in Ukraine. As long as the Russians have money, they are welcome everywhere here.

Except my businesses in Chiang Rai, we’ve taken a stand and banned Russian citizens.

 

what a complete lack of morals we are seeing in the Hotel Industry, appalling!

[FalangKino]

14 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

True...and you have to convince your self many might vehemently oppose what he is doing.

 

I would hate for people to think as a Brit, I support the Tory government's behaviour toward Ukrainian refugees.

Exactly. Were Americans treated or discriminated against for any of the many wars and disgusting crimes their government is responsible for at any point over the last 50 years?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, FalangKino said:

Exactly. Were Americans treated or discriminated against for any of the many wars and disgusting crimes their government is responsible for at any point over the last 50 years?

Yeah, I had an American friend attacked in Saudi, many Middle Eastern Countries became hostile to USA guys. when they went into Iraq. James Foley was beheaded.....

[Boomer6969]

25 minutes ago, FalangKino said:

The bias and discrimination shown towards average Russian people here is disgusting. They aren't responsible for Putins decision.

Nonsense, they had 20 years to get rid of Putin, but they didn't because he entertained their delusion of Russian grandeur. And, believe me, the Russians who can afford come  to Thailand for holidays are those, or their children, who benefitted from Putin's corrupt regime.

[mtls2005]

I think there are one stop flights through ME carriers: QR, EK, EY. And Turkish Airways via IST.

 

Some of the ME flights fly BKK-HKT-xxx-SVO: EY 431

 

So they can pick up at Phuket.

 

One-way tickets issued for THL-RUS would be priced in THB.

 

The local russian diplomatic corps can front the cost to its citizens I would think? 

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

37 minutes ago, FalangKino said:

The bias and discrimination shown towards average Russian people here is disgusting. They aren't responsible for Putins decision.

This is called “sanctions”.

 

Bringing pressures to bear on a nation’s peoples because of the actions of their leader, which incidentally are “taken in their name”.

 

Nobody is saying individual Mr Ivan is bad or Mrs Olga is bad, but we have to bring pressures to bear through them and hopefully change the actions of their leader.

 

We ALL have a duty to do that. Remember, all it takes for evil to triumph is good people to do nothing.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, JBChiangRai said:

This is called “sanctions”.

 

Bringing pressures to bear on a nation’s peoples because of the actions of their leader, which incidentally are “taken in their name”.

 

Nobody is saying individual Mr Ivan is bad or Mrs Olga is bad, but we have to bring pressures to bear through them and hopefully change the actions of their leader.

 

We ALL have a duty to do that. Remember, all it takes for evil to triumph is good people to do nothing.

Having them lolling around on Thai beaches sipping on a vodka  on ice, while their leaders and military kill and maim innocents elsewhere is a bitter pill to swallow. Send them back to complain about having their holidays being curtailed!

[Srikcir]

Something I hadn't thought about:

Russia's flag carrier Aeroflot is canceling its international flights to stop foreign governments seizing its planes.

ref. Fortune.com, 3/7/2022

Aeroflot is state-owned with 51% controlling interest.

Aside from the EU banning all Russian planes from entering its airspace.

[roo860]

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

True...and you have to convince your self many might vehemently oppose what he is doing.

 

I would hate for people to think as a Brit, I support the Tory government's behaviour toward Ukrainian refugees.

Deport the failed asylum seekers staying in the UK hotels, and let any Ukrainian refugees stay there, but to be fair seems like most prefer to go to neighbouring countries.

[ryane66]

1 hour ago, PJ71 said:

Explain how you were stuck?

 

Were airports in Mexico all closed?

We could not get into USA for a repatriation flight. We hadthat long of a wait from Mexico.

[Pravda]

3 hours ago, scotsdude said:

No sympathy…. 1000’s trying to flee Ukraine with bombs raining down on them….. Enjoy it while you can… You’ll all be shunned worldwide… 

 

As someone who went through one of the worst civil wars in Europe I find your comment disgusting. No one in Russia under 50 wants this war. A lot of Russians have family in Ukraine. The same thing happened in Yugoslavia, but back then there was no internet, so people could be judged by no brain westerners by taking sides. At least these days you have the supposed uncensored internet at your disposal. See what the average person thinks about Putin. Russian citizens have a lot more bravery than you sitting in Thailand. If you think it's easy to overthrow the government, try it yourself.

[tomazbodner]

1 hour ago, Boomer6969 said:

And, believe me, the Russians who can afford come  to Thailand for holidays are those, or their children, who benefitted from Putin's corrupt regime.

I don't believe you as this is total nonsense. So you're saying anyone who has a job in Russia to afford a couple of thousand dollars vacation in a cheap country like Thailand had to benefit from regime? What would it mean not to benefit from regime? Die of starvation? Having a job and getting income is to "benefit from corrupt regime"? So Thais who have saved up for a holiday in Bali (exotic destination!) must directly benefit from Prayuth's regime?

 

I guess you also greatly benefited from your country's corrupt regime to be able to afford internet access to spread your gibberish. Had you not benefited from that regime, you'd have died of hunger, right? Total nonsense.