19 minutes ago, edogthong said:

RT English was not only restricted, it was completely removed from YT and doesn't exist anymore. Even though it had a Russian bias, it was the most objective major news channel and it's now gone forever. And the Russians are the only ones who get their information restricted according to you... Sometimes it's hard to see the censorship because you're in the middle of it.

Like I said, all available in the west for those that want to get different perspectives. Google search link

 

We will be going to Hua Hin this New Year

a couple of years back plenty of Russian families enjoying the Christmas and New Year holidays in the hotel we booked

found  them to  be very polite and  friendly 

Will be interesting to see how many come  this year 

4 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

I worry how the Russian will treat me. I'm not Ukrainian but my country 'gives' munitions and training to Ukrainians. 

Strange, is it not, that all the Russians living near me claim to have been born in Ukraine, to have Ukranian family, or are married to Ukranians!

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I've noticed a spike of Russians in Jomtien recently. Nothing like the old days, but noticeable. The majority looked like young and middle aged men alone or in groups that I took to probably be mobilization refugees. In other words I didn't get a holiday vibe but more of a freaked out vibe. But also some families that may also be refugees. 

Very likely true.

But what happens when their "holiday" or money finishes ??

Would Thailand accept them as asylum seekers ?

5 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

There are numerous Ruskies in Phuket as well, many appear to be 'fighting' age. Tourists or Mobilization Refugees ? I would imagine Mr Ratchaporn does not know the difference.......

And doesn't care while they still have cash to spend

5 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

There are numerous Ruskies in Phuket as well, many appear to be 'fighting' age. Tourists or Mobilization Refugees ? I would imagine Mr Ratchaporn does not know the difference.......

Mobilization "Refugees" as we have had in Finland. They should not be allowed out or entering any other place but Putin's war in Ukraine. That could maybe put a stop into Putins plans. What I know of the situation 70-80% of them are supporting the war, if not more. However the ones having the money to flee do so. Few of my Russian friends have asked help to get ticket or doctors notice arranged (to avoid service) but I have declined.

1 hour ago, Sparktrader said:

No news is best. Why follow 90% negative news? Switching off the tv or not following the doom and gloom nonsense on an ap is the best way to live.

 

I dont know any happy person who watches the "news" daily.

 

I love it. Doom and gloom I mean. Gloomberg was great when everything was falling down around their ears. When markets pick up again, I'm off to find my daily dose of doom thanks very much. Real depression only sets in if I watch Fux News.

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

They never caused a problem in Pattaya that I was aware of ( unlike those from a hotter region ), and their totty is generally of a high standard.

You ever seen one smile though?????

1 hour ago, edogthong said:

RT English was not only restricted, it was completely removed from YT and doesn't exist anymore. Even though it had a Russian bias, it was the most objective major news channel and it's now gone forever. And the Russians are the only ones who get their information restricted according to you... Sometimes it's hard to see the censorship because you're in the middle of it.

RT is available, but not on YouTube. Just type RT into Google. You'll get their website. Why are you restricted to YouTube?

55 minutes ago, fulhamster said:

Very likely true.

But what happens when their "holiday" or money finishes ??

Would Thailand accept them as asylum seekers ?

Of course not.

Some may play whatever visa games that are possible such as ED visas.

Some will do visa runs as long as possible. 

Richer ones will buy Elite visas.

Some will overstay.

Many will work remotely.

Many will work illegally. 

Many will hop around Asia to Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, and back to Thailand. 

Many will seek asylum elsewhere such as USA and Canada. 

Some may even go back to Russia depending on how long the war lasts and how it turns out.

Most are stressed because of an uncertain future.

4 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

If this report is right...then obviously the banks have withdrawn their sanctions on Russians using international banking.

If this is the case, then it's another "birdie" finger for sanctioning countries.

Thailand has no sanctions imposed on Russian banks or Russian citizens.

4 hours ago, 2baht said:

5 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

I worry how the Russian will treat me. I'm not Ukrainian but my country 'gives' munitions and training to Ukrainians. 

Unless it's tattood on your forehead, how would they know?

Accent, language?

31 minutes ago, FinChin67 said:

Mobilization "Refugees" as we have had in Finland. They should not be allowed out or entering any other place but Putin's war in Ukraine. That could maybe put a stop into Putins plans. What I know of the situation 70-80% of them are supporting the war, if not more. However the ones having the money to flee do so. Few of my Russian friends have asked help to get ticket or doctors notice arranged (to avoid service) but I have declined.

Maybe higher up officials here will see the bigger picture at some point. Anyway everyone needs to be aware of their stamp stay........... 

"Russian Tourists Flocking To Koh Samui"

Flocking Russian Tourists.

 

 

As far as Russian refugee allegiances this is my educated guess.

 

A small minority are anti war activists. 

Another more sizeable minority against the war but did nothing.

Another more significant chunk apolitical until the war came back to bite them in Russia.

Probably a bigger chunk Z types / Putin lovers as long as they didn't have to fight.

 

But you will have a very hard time knowing.

 

Very few of the Z types will tell you. They're more likely to lie. They get how the war and Putin are perceived abroad. 

1 hour ago, FinChin67 said:

Mobilization "Refugees" as we have had in Finland. They should not be allowed out or entering any other place but Putin's war in Ukraine. That could maybe put a stop into Putins plans. What I know of the situation 70-80% of them are supporting the war, if not more. However the ones having the money to flee do so. Few of my Russian friends have asked help to get ticket or doctors notice arranged (to avoid service) but I have declined.

How do you calculate the 70-80%?

27 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Thailand has no sanctions imposed on Russian banks or Russian citizens.

Early on, I think it was Visa and MasterCard who sanctioned the Russian banks, so it became difficult to get funds. Since then I think many ways have been found to get round the sanctions.

You can't really be precise about allegiances but I'm suggesting to be very skeptical about what they might tell you.

To be clear I think fleeing mobilization  is a decent choice but hardly saintly.

 

Look Putin is calling them rats.

They are not rats.

I bet lots of the pro Putins have changed their mind after being called a rat.

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You can't really be precise about allegiances but I'm suggesting to be very skeptical about what they might tell you.

To be clear I think fleeing mobilization  is a decent choice but hardly saintly.

 

Look Putin is calling them rats.

They are not rats.

I bet lots of the pro Putins have changed their mind after being called a rat.

Rats leaving a sinking ship? Let's hope so.

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Could it possibly be because we are not being given the full picture about Russia? Lots of propaganda about these days.

Do tell......

2 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Rats leaving a sinking ship? Let's hope so.

I'm with you about the sinking ship as I think Putin is committing national suicide but I'm not OK calling the refugees rats. They're very human and they made a very defensive choice. 

2 hours ago, edogthong said:

RT English was not only restricted, it was completely removed from YT and doesn't exist anymore. Even though it had a Russian bias, it was the most objective major news channel......

RT objective??

2 hours ago, edogthong said:

RT English was not only restricted, it was completely removed from YT and doesn't exist anymore. Even though it had a Russian bias, it was the most objective major news channel and it's now gone forever. And the Russians are the only ones who get their information restricted according to you... Sometimes it's hard to see the censorship because you're in the middle of it.

Bull.

RT is Kremlin owned and Kremlin controlled state propaganda. 

If you think that's objective then all I can say is you don’t know objective from a hole in the head.

2 hours ago, edogthong said:

RT English was not only restricted, it was completely removed from YT and doesn't exist anymore. Even though it had a Russian bias, it was the most objective major news channel and it's now gone forever. And the Russians are the only ones who get their information restricted according to you... Sometimes it's hard to see the censorship because you're in the middle of it.

I sometimes watch RT in English on my TV in Pattaya, provider BTV. It exists.

9 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Do tell.

Is it not a fact that the last thing any Ukrainian will be doing at present is holiday in Thailand?

I understand that no Ukrainian man of fighting age is even allowed to leave the country.

You are correct, however,

 

https://visitukraine.today/blog/102/exceptions-when-a-man-can-leave-ukraine-under-martial-law

 

According to the requirements of the legislation, restrictions on crossing the border to leave Ukraine do not apply to individuals in this category, in particular:

- who have a certificate of deferment of conscription and notification of enrollment in special military registration (in accordance with the decision of the Government to approve the list of positions and professions of conscripts subject to reservation for the period of mobilization and wartime);

- who have an opinion of the military medical commission on unfitness with exclusion from military registration;

- who raise three or more children under the age of 18;

- who raise a child (children) under the age of 18 on their own;

- dependent on a child with a disability under the age of 18 or an adult child who is a person with a disability of the I or II group, until he/she reaches 23 years of age;

- adoptive parents, guardians, trustees, foster parents, who are dependent on orphans or children deprived of parental care under the age of 18;

 

There is more in the link.

 

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/09/25/7368981/

 

Men of mobilisation age will be banned from leaving Russia after sham referendums in Ukraine, Russian mass media have reported, referring to sources in the government.

Source: Meduza [Russian news outlet], citing sources close to the administration of the President of the Russian Federation

Details: According to the first source, the most likely date of the ban to be introduced is 28 September.

Another source, which is also close to the Administration of the President, says that this will happen after the sham referendums are held in the self-proclaimed DPR, LPR [Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, respectively] and in the occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

 

There is more in this link too.

Draft dodgers, I'll bet the farm. They'll be keeping their heads down, not wanting to be repatriated to the motherland. I don't think they'll have too many nice things to say about their own government at the moment.

11 hours ago, Why Me said:

I wonder what happens when Russian and Ukrainians find themselves side by side on beach chairs or in a bar. Fisticuffs or "Brother, what happens in Europe stays in Europe. The next round is on me."

At least one pair is neighbors on Samui – so far no war – I think both of them have more problems with the local authorities than with each other...

Seems like the Russians are not aware of that the tourists season on Samui ends today, from tomorrow it's monsoon season until just before Xmas (Western Xmas)...

3 hours ago, bradiston said:

RT is available, but not on YouTube. Just type RT into Google. You'll get their website. Why are you restricted to YouTube?

 

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Bull.

RT is Kremlin owned and Kremlin controlled state propaganda. 

If you think that's objective then all I can say is you don’t know objective from a hole in the head.

Fact remains that YT has cancelled RT. Free speech anyone?

5 hours ago, bradiston said:

Good reception too in Pattaya on TMNT. Get Bloomberg, BBC news, Fux, AJ in English and Arabic, France 24 in English and French, DW in English and German, ABC Aussie news, Euro News, even Chinese CGTN in English, RAI, TVN, BVB, CGTN Russian, PTP (Russian), CNA, NHK etc etc. 

What is TMNT?