Are Russians fleeing to Phuket?

[webfact]

Russians in Phuket PHOTO: Russians arriving in Phuket in record numbers - VOA News

 

By Peter Roche

Thailand has become a safe haven for Russian tourists who are looking to escape Moscow’s war in Ukraine, that has now entered its second year.

 

Russian tourists are flocking to Thailand as it remains a popular destination and they are not being banned from entry like in Western countries. Since the country reopened its borders and dropped Covid-19 restrictions in October, Russian arrivals have made up the third-largest group of visitors, only behind Malaysia and India when comparing figures during 2022.

 

Over the past 3 months that situation has drastically changed whereby Russian arrivals now vastly outweigh those from any other country. Currently, 3 times the number of Russian passengers arrive each day, compared to the next highest number of foreign arrivals from India, with UK, Australian, German and Kazakhstani visitors trailing a long way behind.

 

These figures are from the arrival figures at Phuket International Airport published by Phuket Immigration each week, since November 1, 2022.

 

Many are coming to visit as tourists, but some many others are looking to leave Russia for good due to the fear of economic woes and the ongoing Kremlin war in Ukraine.

 

Thousands of Russians are searching for a new home, with many younger men fearing being drafted into the Ukraine conflict. All male citizens in Russia aged 18–27 are subject to conscription for one year of active-duty military service in the armed forces.

 

“In November, when it was the peak of people coming in, Russian tourists were buying everything”.

 

Amin Ettayeb is a sales manager from Moscow for InDreamsPhuket, selling property on the Thai holiday island of Phuket. The family-owned real estate agency has seen a 10% purchase increase since November.

 

Other agencies on the island are talking about rapidly rising prices and a shortage of properties to sell in Phuket.

 

Ettayeb says, in a VOA.com article, that for the rental market, villas that once went for less than US$9,000 per month now go for more than US$28,000!

 

Between November 1 and January 21, more than 233,000 Russians arrived in Phuket, according to data from Phuket International Airport. Last year, Russians bought nearly 40% of all condominiums sold to foreigners in Phuket, according to the Thai Real Estate Information Centre.

 

However, Emil Saliani, who is originally from Ukraine but has lived in Thailand for several years and works as a property sales agent, said not all of his clients are looking to stay in Thailand long term.

 

“Not many people want to permanently leave Russia, they just want to make sure they don’t have to go to war. When things go back to normal, they will most likely go back.”

 

According to the Phuket Tourism Association, some Russian tourists are illegally working as tour guides and taxi drivers in Phuket.

 

Full story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/are-russians-fleeing-to-phuket/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-02-27

 

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[Doctor Tom]

Yes , in droves, same in Pattaya.  

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, webfact said:

Thousands of Russians are searching for a new home, with many younger men fearing being drafted into the Ukraine conflict. All male citizens in Russia aged 18–27 are subject to conscription for one year of active-duty military service in the armed forces.

Actually that was scrapped some time ago for mobilization for the war in Ukraine:

 

Russia scraps age limit for new troops in Ukraine push

[Elkski]

28,000 USD per month???

Nearly I mil baht?  

[Adumbration]

Yes.

[Adumbration]

10 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Actually that was scrapped some time ago for mobilization for the war in Ukraine:

 

Russia scraps age limit for new troops in Ukraine push

Russia is suffering for the same disease that is going to topple China.  Not enough young people resulting in a top heavy age demography pyramid.

 

In the event of a protracted conflict with the loss of millions of young Russian soldiers, even a victory would be no help, Russia would collapse anyway because of the aged and top heavy population.

 

This is also the most serious problem on China's near term horizon:

 

https://www.indexmundi.com/russia/age_structure.html

[ChipButty]

The rental market must have doubled in the south of Phuket I can see in some FB groups, Bookings and inquiries are slowing down, lets see what the low season brings, Will the Chinese fill in the gaps? 

[gearbox]

I was in Phuket last week,  have never seen so many people even pre-covid. Many restaurants in Patong were packed as late as 10:30pm. Finding a spot to park was a nightmare. At Karon beach probably 80+ percent were Russians.

 

Once the Chinese start coming expect the prices to go up even more.

[engamann]

Beacause the Russians are not welcomed to the more civiliced world thats why they have to flok to Thailand because Thai government don't care about anything else than money and don't want to take a stand about Putin and his killing of civilian women and children.

[userabcd]

So many articles about the same subject lately, wonder what is behind this by tourists or non immigrants themselves.

 

There seems to be an unhealthy fixation by some related to Russian tourists.

[userabcd]

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

The rental market must have doubled in the south of Phuket I can see in some FB groups, Bookings and inquiries are slowing down, lets see what the low season brings, Will the Chinese fill in the gaps? 

Lets hope so, Indian and Chinese tourists to keep the Thai tourist economy buoyant.

[LudwigK]

Wladi will give the young fleeing males a great welcome when they come back????????????????

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

Yes , in droves, same in Pattaya.  

Until the money runs out, then tough choices have to be made.

Go home or elsewhere or stay here under the radar as an illegal.

While Thailand & TAT might be boasting now, the reality may change later when the trouble starts and Russians start looking at ways to make some money.

[Banana7]

There may not be a Russia to go back to, as we know Russia today.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the possibility of Russia facing a breakup in the future, with its population to be divided into separate nations, the country's news agency TASS reported on Feb. 26.

 

Putin's interview with Rossiya 1 TV channel marks the first time that the Russian dictator has publicly commented on the potential disintegration of Russia.

[Graemej100]

Is this a rhetoric headline?

[BigStar]

7 hours ago, userabcd said:

So many articles about the same subject lately, wonder what is behind this by tourists or non immigrants themselves.

Oh, how about mere AN marketing itself?

 

7 hours ago, userabcd said:

There seems to be an unhealthy fixation by some related to Russian tourists.

Exactly. That translates into pages, page views, and clicks.

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Until the money runs out, then tough choices have to be made.

Go home or elsewhere or stay here under the radar as an illegal.

Our shrewdest members already know that all the Russian women will be soon be out selling p***y. One of our fave fantasies of late. ????

[Banana7]

Lots of problems in Russia:

 

Bank of Russia increases key rate by 10.5 pp to 20%. External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed, the regulator noted. This is a direct quote from TASS, the Russian news agency, posted Feb. 28, 2023.

[Operator2002]

If not high airticket prices there would be 10 times more Russians in Thailand even only for winter holiday - now that most other tourist destinations are closed for Russians. 

In 1998 I was at a reception at the Russian Embassy in Bangkok and Trade representative of the Embassy said that half of Russian population would travel for winter holidays in Thailand if there would be lower transport costs ????

There was information that only to Uzbekistan 300 000 Russians had entered in the last year, so 200 000 to Thailand it is not so much ))

[KhunLA]

8 hours ago, Operator2002 said:

If not high airticket prices there would be 10 times more Russians in Thailand even only for winter holiday - now that most other tourist destinations are closed for Russians. 

If not for high air tickets  and hotel prices, there would be more of ALL nationalities in TH now.

[Stargeezr]

Yes Russia used to be USSR, and maybe some of the areas of Russia will tell Vlad and his bunch.

No More war, no more destroying the USSR. I hope that the war in Ukraine does have some

big effect on the USSR. Just my opinion anyway. I am so glad that I am not Russian today.