BANGKOK (NNT) - Thousands of Russian tourists in Thailand are reportedly struggling to find a way home, as international sanctions imposed over the Russia-Ukraine crisis hit holidaymakers.

 

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, a slew of international sanctions was imposed on businesses and banks, with some Russian airlines canceling flights and global payment firms suspending services. Russian tourists have been among the largest groups of visitors returning to Thailand’s beach resorts since pandemic restrictions were lifted, but many are now stranded without a return ticket.

 

According to Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), 3,100 Russians remain stranded in Phuket, with 2,000 in Samui and smaller numbers in Krabi, Phangnga and Bangkok.

 

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While Thailand has not prohibited Russian flights, international airspace restrictions have caused some companies, including Russia’s flagship Aeroflot, to cancel services, forcing tourists to seek alternative routes, such as through the Middle East with different carriers.

 

Many tourists have also been impacted by the suspension of Visa and Mastercard operations. Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Ruktaengam said officials were considering using the Mir system, a Russian electronic fund transfer structure, as well as digital currencies.

 

Pandemic travel restrictions have affected the Kingdom’s tourism-dominated economy, but restrictions were eased in 2022, resulting in a surge of visitors.

 

According to the TAT, approximately 23,000 Russians visited Thailand in January of this year. Russian tourists previously accounted for the seventh-largest share of visitors to the kingdom, with approximately 1.5 million visiting Thailand in 2019.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-14

 

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Why can't Russian government fly them out? Thai airspace isn't closed to flights from Russia.

These guys are hooped - with their currency literally the price of toilet paper, how does one afford a flight out of thailand?  Or even eat?  

I don't wish this on anyone.  

5 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Why can't Russian government fly them out? Thai airspace isn't closed to flights from Russia.

Maybe russian gov isn't interested in it's people .. remember it's not exactly an open free country . Run by ex Soviet  KGB agents 

22 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

These guys are hooped - with their currency literally the price of toilet paper, how does one afford a flight out of thailand?  Or even eat?  

I don't wish this on anyone.  

It is a condition of entry into Thailand that you have a ticket out of the country, a return ticket is the normal way to satisfy this requirement.

 

That airlines servicing the Russian market are cancelling flights says a lot of their expectations of recouping costs. A state sponsored  repatriation flight is often the norm in these sort of situations, unfortunately those who could make the needed decisions are focused on other events.

 

Those stuck in Thailand are suffering a number of issues beyond their control, they cannot get access to their funds, their currency has become almost worthless and no one wants to take them home. All caused by decisions made by those in power.

 

I hope they remember this when they get home.

49 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Why can't Russian government fly them out? Thai airspace isn't closed to flights from Russia.

Because they don't give a flying.............for their own

20 minutes ago, Chang_paarp said:

 

I hope they remember this when they get home.

I hope they do more than just remember.

2 hours ago, Blumpie said:

These guys are hooped - with their currency literally the price of toilet paper, how does one afford a flight out of thailand?  Or even eat?  

I don't wish this on anyone.  

Just like other tourists they come with a return ticket. Majority are tourists acc to Thai press.  Apart from this, why can't Putin fly his stranded ppl out? Just like Thai government evacuated ppl from Ukraine?

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Ruktaengam said officials were considering using the Mir system, a Russian electronic fund transfer structure, as well as digital currencies.

Funny. "Mir" means peace. It's even listed twice in the name of Russian dictator Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin...

I guess when he goes to war, the name is just shortened to "Vlad"...

17 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Just like other tourists they come with a return ticket. Majority are tourists acc to Thai press.  Apart from this, why can't Putin fly his stranded ppl out? Just like Thai government evacuated ppl from Ukraine?

Maybe they'd need to pay airport fees and fuel charges in USD? The planes could be confiscated by the leasing companies the moment they land outside Russia.

 

I am sure there are many reasons they would not wish to risk that. Although they could have some Russian built planes that aren't on lease... but do they have the range and seating capacity to evacuate so many tourists quickly? And even if they do, is Thailand even allowed to do business with them without getting sanctioned themselves? Tricky situation for all involved.

Can they go home by ship or big boat why do they have to fly out?

 

27 minutes ago, Hook said:

Can they go home by ship or big boat why do they have to fly out?

 

Your post sounds a bit cruel, but perhaps I am getting the wrong end of the stick.

Why not just leave them be until there is an agreement between Thailand and the Russian Federation as to what should be done?

4 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

It is a condition of entry into Thailand that you have a ticket out of the country, a return ticket is the normal way to satisfy this requirement.

 

That airlines servicing the Russian market are cancelling flights says a lot of their expectations of recouping costs. A state sponsored  repatriation flight is often the norm in these sort of situations, unfortunately those who could make the needed decisions are focused on other events.

 

Those stuck in Thailand are suffering a number of issues beyond their control, they cannot get access to their funds, their currency has become almost worthless and no one wants to take them home. All caused by decisions made by those in power.

 

I hope they remember this when they get home.

We all know that but their flights have been cancelled.

And when your currency drops like it has you no longer have currency.

 

1 hour ago, baboon said:

Your post sounds a bit cruel, but perhaps I am getting the wrong end of the stick.

Why not just leave them be until there is an agreement between Thailand and the Russian Federation as to what should be done?

Who is going to be paying for their hotel rooms?

 

1 hour ago, Blumpie said:

We all know that but their flights have been cancelled.

And when your currency drops like it has you no longer have currency.

 

It's a drop of 40%, not exactly "toilet paper" as some say.

THB/RUB was 2.57 before the invasion, it is 3.66 today.

It's more a matter of being able to pay.

1 hour ago, Chris.B said:

Who is going to be paying for their hotel rooms?

 

I don't know. But the Thai government are wallowing in foreign cash, so why not spend a fraction of it assisting human beings in distress through no fault of their own?

Their country brutally and unprovoked invaded another country killing their inhabitants by the thousands and laying cities in ruins.
Only a wealthy city elite of russia can afford going on holidays in tropical countries. In general 70 % of the people stranded in Thailand love what Putin is doing in Ukraine. Now they have to pay their umbrella drinks cash. Of course it also affects the 30 % neutral or against Putin. How could it be in any other way?
Russia is responsible to bring it´s citizen home to paradise. If it doesn´t why not recommend them visiting the temples for handouts? Or a go fund me rally?
I´m sure many of the pro russian voices here on TV would love to chip in.

15 minutes ago, Stygge said:

Russia is responsible to bring it´s citizen home to paradise. If it doesn´t why not recommend them visiting the temples for handouts? Or a go fund me rally?
I´m sure many of the pro russian voices here on TV would love to chip in.

Good idea! But they have more pride then those western uninsured Fund Me jumpers, Even Cadaver owners are making (mis)use of it. 

 

6 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Funny. "Mir" means peace. It's even listed twice in the name of Russian dictator Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin...

I guess when he goes to war, the name is just shortened to "Vlad"...

It also means "the world". So when a Russian says "Ya klochu mir" they may be saying they want peace, or they want the world.

....Russia-Ukraine crisis?

I guess manipulating English language is okay in 2022.

Crisis is when I accidentally fart in public but when one country start war we call it war not crisis. 

I´m really inspired to solve this problem of our russian friends stuck in paradise.
They long to get home to take up arms and fight off the aggressive ukranians or to start cultivating turnips for their future diet.

I understand flights to Syria are open and going. Since Syria is a russian protectorate and Russia recently practised bombing the city Aleppo to gravel they have many friends there. Putin just called upon his islamist friends to come and fight in Ukraine. Their brutality against civilians is dearly needed. They are currently flown from Syria to Russia. Why not fly our bewildered friends to Syria and from there they can catch a ride with the islamist fighters going to Russia/Ukraine? It´s a cost effective way to bring them home to their Fatherland.

 

8 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Maybe they'd need to pay airport fees and fuel charges in USD? The planes could be confiscated by the leasing companies the moment they land outside Russia.

That might happen in Europe, but I just don't expect it to in Thailand. Yes they would need to travel with a few bags of USD to pay landing fees and get refueled......

But are the Russians stranded here faring worse than Ukrainians bombed out of their homes and country, forced to go live among strangers... of course not.  

I was struggling to get the one out of the pool yesterday.  He was in his phone none stop. A face like a pug and a wife like a diamond.. 

1 hour ago, Stygge said:

I´m really inspired to solve this problem of our russian friends stuck in paradise.
They long to get home to take up arms and fight off the aggressive ukranians or to start cultivating turnips for their future diet.

I understand flights to Syria are open and going. Since Syria is a russian protectorate and Russia recently practised bombing the city Aleppo to gravel they have many friends there. Putin just called upon his islamist friends to come and fight in Ukraine. Their brutality against civilians is dearly needed. They are currently flown from Syria to Russia. Why not fly our bewildered friends to Syria and from there they can catch a ride with the islamist fighters going to Russia/Ukraine? It´s a cost effective way to bring them home to their Fatherland.

 

That's if they really want to go home. Think about it, if your country was at war with a peaceful country and killing everyone including young women and children would you want to go back to that country? Russian people need to find a way to get to Putin and take him out of office to end HIS war.

Why is picture of Ukrainian tourists demonstrating against war heading an article about Russians ?

37 minutes ago, arick said:

I was struggling to get the one out of the pool yesterday.  He was in his phone none stop. A face like a pug and a wife like a diamond.. 

It never ceased to amaze me, the amount of Russian couples where the girl looks like a model (and spends all of her time posing like one) and the guy looks like a murderer.

That said, the few Russians I've sat down and chatted to (more in Nha Trang than in Thailand - and in Russia) have been decent people. I didn't get the impression that many of them were running the country though, or rich, for that matter. As one guy said to me "In Siberia, we have snow, cold, and bears, so I come to Vietnam"

12 hours ago, pixelaoffy said:

Maybe russian gov isn't interested in it's people .. remember it's not exactly an open free country . Run by ex Soviet  KGB agents 

On the other side, the European Union is directed by ridiculous and laughable leaders (have you seen photos and videos of their meeting in Versailles? But what do they have to laugh about?) flattened like soles on Uncle Sam, providing sanctions to Russia that affect the lives of not American but European citizens (not the personal lives of their leaders, who have stellar salaries and come from rich families. They could not care less about electricity bills, gasoline or the price of the bread). And this is the state of the world in 2022.

 

Really surprised you have all been brain washed  Russia is a large country of which about 60% in Asia. There is no closure of airspace back to Russia however many of the Russians in Thailand are part of Putin's elite who may not want to return to Russia for fear of what may happen to them meanwhile there are many Russians in Samui and Phuket who have invested heavily in property who can easily accomodate the relatively small number of Russias who allege they cannot return home.

This a Thai government problem and should be funded by them "innocents" maybe but guilty by association they will be a toxic debt that will need paying to deport ????

12 hours ago, Blumpie said:

These guys are hooped - with their currency literally the price of toilet paper, how does one afford a flight out of thailand?  Or even eat?  

I don't wish this on anyone.  

These Russians still with Russian passports and not claimed asylum elsewhere have lived and been quite happy with Putin. They are now wanting sympathy for being stuck. Let them rot. Sorry, but if you are willing to go along with the mad man when the times are good then stuff you when they are bad. There was nothing stopping them from claiming asylum elsewhere and getting new passports and living in Thailand but they decided not to. The writing has been on the cards with Putin for years and they all just ignored it and went along happy with their lives.