Pattaya: Russians staying in holiday condos and eating economically - restaurants at resort suffering

[Hummin]

7 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Fun fact. 

Among tourists of all nations who come to Thailand, Chinese tourists spend the most with 536,278 million baht, most of which is spent on shopping and leisure, such as spas, cruises, trips, etc.

The Chinese is like cruise turists only difference they come in busses and not boats. They  spend money on chosen shops and facilities along their planned route, and every activity is presold to discount prices ripping the locals of for entry ticket to be part of the tour, and also sell the tickets for 40% less, and the tour operater keeps the rest.

 

Now in Laos and Cambodia, Chinese own everything themselves. Not sure who owns the facilities and attractions here in Thailand, but my best guess, not average Thais.

[Eric Loh]

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

The Chinese is like cruise turists only difference they come in busses and not boats. They  spend money on chosen shops and facilities along their planned route, and every activity is presold to discount prices ripping the locals of for entry ticket to be part of the tour, and also sell the tickets for 40% less, and the tour operater keeps the rest.

 

Now in Laos and Cambodia, Chinese own everything themselves. Not sure who owns the facilities and attractions here in Thailand, but my best guess, not average Thais.

Zero Baht tours and shops that you described has declined  after the crackdown in 2016. Chinese that travelled on such tours have shun Thailand. The Chinese are big investors in the hospitality business. Nothing wrong with that. 

[Hummin]

5 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Zero Baht tours and shops that you described has declined  after the crackdown in 2016. Chinese that travelled on such tours have shun Thailand. The Chinese are big investors in the hospitality business. Nothing wrong with that. 

My mind was pre and post COVID, since as you say, no or almost no Chinese tourists at the moment

[Moti24]

.....Russians staying in holiday condos and eating economically - restaurants at resort suffering.....

 

Cracking headline!  So, which part causes the most concern, the Russians eating economically or resort restaurants suffering!

 

As far as I'm concerned, all Russians shouldn't be tarred with the same brush.  It seems that a lot of Russians don't agree with the war; those here are probably no different to the many nationalities stuck here during the pandemic.  But of course, if the restaurants are suffering, the local media are on it like a soi dog on heat.

 

In all the years I've been here, I'm fed-up with reading about the constant daily  monetary value given to every situation.

 

Good luck to Ukraine, and any Russians who want no part of the war.  To the Russians who chose to fight - As far as I'm concerned, you can burn in hell; and the sooner the better.

[impulse]

8 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Exactly what the vast majority of the Chinese tourists did, when they were #1 in volume. Everyone I spoke to in the industry said they did not spend much money. Only the fruit shake vendors, the buffets, 7/11, Lotus, and duty free seemed to make any money from them. And they want them back?

I flew to China a few times a year.  I was gobsmacked at how much stuff they had bought in Thailand and had to pack on the plane.  They come to Thailand with a shopping list, and they spend plenty of money.  Just not on the same stuff.  Losers will gripe about that, but smart vendors will figure it out.

 

[metisdead]

A post with an off topic video in Russian language has been removed.

[greenhornfarang]

2 hours ago, Deli said:

If true, as long as they van afford 7/11, they cannot do too bad. Why don't they ocvupy the Russiam Embassy and as for assostance ? It's their dear Leader they accepted for decades who put them into this. Isn't it time to kick him out, dear Russians ?

Hahaha, thinks Russians or anyone has a say in who gets into power. 

[Golden Triangle]

4 minutes ago, greenhornfarang said:

Yeah zero sympathy from me also, let's just shoot any and all Russians on sight since they are all agents of Putin and are all guilty of war crimes,

Damn fine suggestion ????????????

[KarenBravo]

19 minutes ago, greenhornfarang said:

Yeah zero sympathy from me also, let's just shoot any and all Russians on sight since they are all agents of Putin and are all guilty of war crimes,

What an incredibly foolish statement.

Does your mother know you are at the computer?

[CG1 Blue]

5 hours ago, Excel said:

An article here from the BBC today on the issue here in Thailand

 

The Russians trapped on a Thai island as war rages in Ukraine - BBC News

From that article:

 

Toke Terkelsen is confident that will happen soon.

"Even with what's happening right now in the world, you still have a lot of people who have been staying at home for two years, who have saved some money and really want to go travelling," he said.

"If Thailand opens up as the main gateway for Asia, and still the other countries are closed, you will see a lot of people coming to Thailand."

 

Mr Terkelsen, you may not have noticed but it's the other Asian countries who are properly opening up to tourists, not Thailand. 

 

 

[Bruno123]

1 hour ago, KarenBravo said:

What an incredibly foolish statement.

Does your mother know you are at the computer?

 

It's reasonably obvious that he is taking the mickey out of the 'hang 'em high' brigade.

[cncltd1973]

I'm all for sanctions, but I question whether the credit card sanctions was a good move...?

[greenhornfarang]

2 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Damn fine suggestion ????????????

Go get em soldier of fortune

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, cncltd1973 said:

I'm all for sanctions, but I question whether the credit card sanctions was a good move...?

Credit card sanctions? When the banks are hit and Visa and MC and others shut it off its not just CCs. Without a bank the cards are useless.

[Pravda]

Doesn't look so bad....

 

 

[tomazbodner]

I think with war showing no end in sight, no idea when they can go home and limited finances left, rationing to spread what they have left to as long as possible is probably the most sensible thing Russians and Ukrainians can do.

[thierryviteau]

After 2 years so many business didn't understand yet that the only business they should focus on are expats, but I guess that most of those business owners haven't been to school long enough to understand the basics...

[fdsa]

1 hour ago, Pravda said:

Doesn't look so bad....

 

 

unfortunately you could not buy 1 dollar for 99 roubles, the real exchange rate for today is 114

 

 

 

[LaosLover]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Many Russians have escaped to places like Armenia and Georgia but that doesn't mean their problems are over.

Been to Georgia and Armenia -fairly cheap, ancient Game of Thrones vibe, tolerable food, no local girl-game since brides must hang their virgin-bloody sheets outside the house after the wedding night.

 

Just about the most anti-Russian place on earth. I stayed in a hotel on George W Bush Blvd, who they regard as a close second to Jesus. Any Russian people relocating there are going to have problems getting a taxi.

[Jingthing]

15 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

Been to Georgia and Armenia -fairly cheap, ancient Game of Thrones vibe, tolerable food, no local girl-game since brides must hang their virgin-bloody sheets outside the house after the wedding night.

 

Just about the most anti-Russian place on earth. I stayed in a hotel on George W Bush Blvd, who they regard as a close second to Jesus. Any Russian people relocating there are going to have problems getting a taxi.

Easy entry for Russians. They can't go to EU.

[LaosLover]

30,000 Russians are already driving up the rents in Tblisi:

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/21/1087913847/thousands-of-russians-are-traveling-to-georgia-to-flee-their-own-government

 

Def gonna cause some hard feelings among the Russian-hating locals. Brits dissing them in Jomtien will seem like heaven in comparison.

 

They're going to have some 'splaining to do when they get home about why they weren't manfully fighting Nazism in Ukraine.

 

I gotta admit, if I'm listening to a Russian person talk about how he's anti-Putin in Phuket, I will be wondering just how recent and opportunistic that opinion is. Not that I wouldn't be fronting the same convenient change of heart if I were stuck in a super liberal country during the Iraq War and was a Bush fan.

 

Even fascist-loving liars deserve a little empathy for their stuck situation.

[anandra]

13 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Via Ukraine

Yes, and preferably by land

 

13 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Via Ukraine

 

[anandra]

6 hours ago, the green light said:

I feel sorry for any tourist that can't return home or use credit cards due to unforeseeable circumstances like war.

 

Nobody should make fun of the Russians. they are just farangs enjoying Thailand.

 

Of course they adapt in spending less money. and it is quite normal to visit the 7/11 for food and other.

 

Lack of farangs visiting high priced/bad food tourist restaurant or Tesco lotus is just related to the lack of tourist coming to  Thailand an not blame the Russians

 

Thailand should depend on tourists of every nations in order to survive  . 

 

Thailand does not offers any amenities except cheap living, food, beaches, and sex industry.  Due to poor education system, lack of learning and training, Thailand could never be and industrial giant country.

 

The government need to revive tourism in order to capitalize on its strength before it is too late.

I f you are sorry for the population of the fascist Germany during the rule of Hutler, I trust you then. It is your right to support acomplices of terrorism. What tourism are talking about, russian people are fighting for sugar at the supermarkets in their country, and if you are russsian, you knw it yourself.

[anandra]

8 hours ago, Bigz said:

What Putin and Russia doing is horrific and no doubt he's got many supporters. But you can't brand all Russians the same. Many of them are against the war and stuck here without money or means of transport back home. A lot of people on this forum are behaving exactly the same way as some French and English simple folk during second world war when German Jewish and  political refugees were insulted or attacked for speaking German. 

another totally childish conclusion, all that country supports Putin, just watch russian tv, russian yotube bloggers, russian telegram, and use your brain. Read russian edition of Pataya News, read the comments of russian trolls in Bangkok post. Putins rating grew to 80%. Those who do not support they run away from their country.

[greenhornfarang]

11 minutes ago, anandra said:

another totally childish conclusion, all that country supports Putin, just watch russian tv, russian yotube bloggers, russian telegram, and use your brain. Read russian edition of Pataya News, read the comments of russian trolls in Bangkok post. Putins rating grew to 80%. Those who do not support they run away from their country.

Where to exactly will they be running away to? All doors have been closed for Russians for a long time even before 2014.

[LaosLover]

Its nobody's business if individual Russian people really do love Putin, pretend they do to avoid problems at home, or pretend they don't to avoid hassles at a 7/11 on Beach Road.

 

When I lived in Chiang Mai, many a brit (and that goes double for Canadians) wanted to give me grief about Bush. Like I was some kind of unpaid good will ambassador there to listen to their venting.

 

On average, I have found that the few Russian people in Thailand who even want to interact with non-Russians to be wary of discussing anything political at all.

 

I asked one, what about all of the crazy anti-gay stuff in Russia? he told me that there weren't any gay people in Russia. And that was that.

 

So wishing ill of a group of people I know close to nothing about and will likely not speak with again even a half a dozen times before the grave seems a little grandstanding to me.

[anandra]

19 minutes ago, greenhornfarang said:

Where to exactly will they be running away to? All doors have been closed for Russians for a long time even before 2014.

no jast last week 30 000 left russia, Georgia stated probably 10 00 there. I am not talking about those that can aplly for asylum on political grounds

[anandra]

SURE, russian rouble is turning in paper, soon it will be cheaper than the piece of paper it is printed on. How they can help Thai tourism now. At the same time, some russian tycoons, one of them mister Ernst, chief manager of russian tv channel, allegedly tried to apply for Elite Thai visa.

[pomchop]

15 hours ago, petermik said:

They can always try and get back home....

I would bet that Thai airways has a lot of planes sitting around.  How about the Thai dictator call his fellow Russian dictator and offer to fly how ever many charters are necessary to get all these poor russians back to the fatherland....in return for payment in GOLD which Putin apparently has a huge stash?

[gargamon]

15,000 dead Russian invaders already in Ukraine. Send these there as replacements. No food there for them either. No ammunition, no shelter. Good on 'em.