‘Not Thailand anymore’: Russians are flocking to this resort island — but not all is well in paradise

[SAFETY FIRST]

7 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

get off your high horses you are not that much in demand

I like being on my high horse. 

 

Why don't you cheer up and stop telling me what to do. 

 

Try turning your life around and start being a happy chappy. 

 

[ChipButty]

11 hours ago, maddox41 said:

Where are the  Russian hot spots in Phuket now?? 

Like what areas do they like to live  The new Russian communities in Phuket 

Rawai is one place, I have family here at the moment and we took the little one down to Rawai water park there is a whole community down there, with villas, a school and a language school and the play park, all Russians kids, The cafe down there is where all the school kids go for their lunch everyday 

[Isaan sailor]

4 hours ago, Seeall said:

yeah right...  years ago i saw a strugling family with shopping on a large road.. so, alone in my big enpty pickup I pulled over and pointed down the road ofering a lift, the man screamed ant me shaking his red head NOOOOO!!  then went off on Ruski at me..  since then I only offer lifts to thais who are always thankfull and polite, a true pleasure....

No good deed goes unpunished…

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, quake said:

Keep them there.

Think they should introduce free visa extensions at Phuket immigration. 

Sadly, it isn't like they cannot be found elsewhere, Pratumnak to Bali..... so much for global sanctions and grounding their planes and freezing their currency......

[Skeptic7]

20 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Isaan is looking more and more attractive everyday.

Here now. It's NOT. ????

[quake]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Sadly, it isn't like they cannot be found elsewhere, Pratumnak to Bali..... so much for global sanctions and grounding their planes and freezing their currency......

Yes, I do agree, maybe the rest of the world should have done just that instead of giving people Guns, Aircraft and Bombs. (do they ever learn)

I'm ok for people not wishing to fight in this sad, mad war. come sit on the beach here, your country does not care about you.

 

Besides we need more than the Thai's to moan about 

on here nowadays 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by quake

[10baht]

14 hours ago, owl sees all said:

.Some of those Chinese ladies are lovely

When they are not spitting or sneaking friends into hotel rooms they didn't pay for.

[ChipButty]

7 minutes ago, 10baht said:

When they are not spitting or sneaking friends into hotel rooms they didn't pay for.

Using the kettle for boiling noodles, 

[Bday Prang]

20 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Why?

 

I live in Isaan; and I love it. Don't think there is a better place to live in the world.

THe irony is obviously lost on you,  please don't encourage Russians to visit this "awful" part of Thailand especially Surin   (its really terrible here)

[Bday Prang]

15 hours ago, jesimps said:

Went there twice at the insistence of the missus sixteen years back, since then have resisted all attempts by her to drag me back there. How farang manage to live there in their little jungle clearing surrounded by noisy nosy neighbours is beyond me. Ok for back to nature types I suppose.

Glad you feel like that , issan does not need people like you or Russians

[JBChiangRai]

12 hours ago, geisha said:

Kata beach was popular with Russians for a good while. I met one massage parlor lady who said her boss was Russian. So obviously under the table work/ money. Now Kata is mainly Russian .

Yes lots in Kata, I was there last month eating in Pomodoro Italian Restaurant proudly wearing my T-Shirt and I got lots of people looking daggers at me, I can't imagine why.

[realfunster]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

is still struggling to recover after the deadly 2004 tsunami and COVID-19 travel bans.

19 years on, are Phuket and surrounding provinces still struggling to recover from the 2004 tsunami or is this hyperbole ?

[owl sees all]

So many of the posts paint a negative picture of the ruskies.

 

I have found them to be truthful. In fact I had a Russian g/f once who always told the truth. Sometimes the blunt truth is hard to deal with. Anyway; she said I was the best lover she had ever had. And that put me top of over 900. Although that was an estimate; she said.

 

I stood proud.

[crazykopite]

Yes since the Russians arrived property rental prices have gone through the roof I  am aware of a number of them renting a bundle of properties then subletting them for at least double the price if not more and that’s how they are making there money I would of thought that any income earned would require a work permit . Only time will tell how many of these people end up on overstay Putin will welcome them back with open arms and send them onto the front line to join the Wagner group of mercenaries 

[jcmj]

While Russia did start the war,  many Russians were against it and now that they may be forced to join the fighting, I don’t blame them for leaving. Now, how they are going to support themselves, especially in Phuket, is going to be the big question, and if immigration in Phuket gets tough then there will be a lot more problems to come. 

[JBChiangRai]

A lot of the Russian's here are hypocrites, they support Putin and his war, they just don't want to fight in it.

 

It tends to be younger generation who are opposed to Putin & his war, this latter group has my sumpathy and should be welcomed with open arms. I have no sympathy whatsoever with Putin supporters.

[KhunLA]

22 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

A lot of the Russian's here are hypocrites, they support Putin and his war, they just don't want to fight in it.

 

It tends to be younger generation who are opposed to Putin & his war, this latter group has my sumpathy and should be welcomed with open arms. I have no sympathy whatsoever with Putin supporters.

OR ... after 3 yrs of savings, since no travel/covid, they want to holiday, but their options are now limited since RU flights banned to so many countries, as is their ruble.  So with access via CH, they can fly & spend in TH.

[JBChiangRai]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

OR ... after 3 yrs of savings, since no travel/covid, they want to holiday, but their options are now limited since RU flights banned to so many countries, as is their ruble.  So with access via CH, they can fly & spend in TH.

They can also fly with Emirates & other Gulf Airlines, they still fly into and out of Russia.

[NanLaew]

23 hours ago, ezzra said:

I would fly in couple plane's loads of Ukrainians hooligan for free and let the fun begin.

But where would you get the money to fund that? Your agent?

[NanLaew]

44 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

A lot of the Russian's here are hypocrites, they support Putin and his war, they just don't want to fight in it.

 

It tends to be younger generation who are opposed to Putin & his war, this latter group has my sumpathy and should be welcomed with open arms. I have no sympathy whatsoever with Putin supporters.

This from the guy who wears the 'puck futin' t-shirt in public because he thinks it upsets the Russians.

 

How many Russians do you know or have even spoken with?

 

Trope spinning.

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, Seeall said:

yeah right...  years ago i saw a strugling family with shopping on a large road.. so, alone in my big enpty pickup I pulled over and pointed down the road ofering a lift, the man screamed ant me shaking his red head NOOOOO!!  then went off on Ruski at me..  since then I only offer lifts to thais who are always thankfull and polite, a true pleasure....

Years ago? Before the war? Speaking 'Ruski'? So you know the differences between other Slavic languages.

 

Hold on... a redhead you say? Unintelligible? Angrily declining help? Sounds Scottish to me.

[JBChiangRai]

5 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

This from the guy who wears the 'puck futin' t-shirt in public because he thinks it upsets the Russians.

 

How many Russians do you know or have even spoken with?

 

Trope spinning.

I have talked with about half a dozen, only the young couple queuing before me for an ice cream were anti Putin & his war and were extremely worried about where they could go next.

[Will B Good]

10 hours ago, Seeall said:

What in your view are the highlights of BKK?

Khlong Toei (nua)

[ChipButty]

17 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I have talked with about half a dozen, only the young couple queuing before me for an ice cream were anti Putin & his war and were extremely worried about where they could go next.

We had some Russian guest earlier this year they were living in Turkey, and another one was living in Armenia 

[NanLaew]

25 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I have talked with about half a dozen, only the young couple queuing before me for an ice cream were anti Putin & his war and were extremely worried about where they could go next.

What did the others say? How did you break the ice in those conversations?

[JBChiangRai]

6 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

What did the others say? How did you break the ice in those conversations?

I always chat to people in queues, I can't recall most of the older Russians, but the younger one I heard him talking to his girlfriend and greeted him and asked if they were Russian, that broke the ice and we talked.

 

I do remember one of the older Russian's, a lady, actually she talked to me, I lost my hat in the sea at Kata Noi and told my son & his wife in the hotel pool and she overheard and said she had lost hers too.  To be fair, all the older Russian's I spoke with were in fact on holiday and quite pleasant, the exception being when I wore my Puck Futin T-shirt, I had my children & grandchildren with me, there were 10 of us and I sat in the corner facing out, making it impossible to accidentally spill a drink on me ????  We all felt the hate that night. I also have more T-shirts with the Ukraine colours and Russian Warships Go "procreate" yourself.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

A lot of the Russian's here are hypocrites, they support Putin and his war, they just don't want to fight in it.

 

It tends to be younger generation who are opposed to Putin & his war, this latter group has my sumpathy and should be welcomed with open arms. I have no sympathy whatsoever with Putin supporters.

Another point Russians may adjust what they say when talking to westerners so if they say they are anti Putin I wouldn't necessarily believe them.

Edited May 23, 2023 by Jingthing

[watchcat]

On 5/22/2023 at 4:30 AM, Celsius said:

 

A lot of people say the same about Dubai

....or Pattaya.

[watchcat]

On 5/22/2023 at 4:30 AM, Celsius said:

 

A lot of people say the same about Dubai

....or Pattaya.

[10baht]

On 5/23/2023 at 7:28 AM, 10baht said:

.Some of those Chinese ladies are lovely

Until the get old 555