‘Main customers’: Russians fleeing Putin’s war find a home in Phuket

[bradiston]

9 hours ago, Falcon said:

These Russians are a pain in the ass. They are taking over everywhere in thailand. As for them buying properties, do they mean houses as well as apartments? Funny how they can buy but everyone else has to either put in a company name or put in their (Thai) wife’s name. These people are given too much freedom to do whatever they want and will soon take over the country. All in the excuse that they are escaping the war in Russia.

Fruitcake anyone? Help yourselves.

[Venom]

11 hours ago, Jimbo 12345 said:

Please Putin end this war, maybe they all go back then,  can only dream I suppose 

You should lead by example. ????

[AustinRacing]

His attitude echoes typical Russian soldier. No balls to stand up to a tyrant. 

[Reigntax]

They think of it as their new Crimea

[Bim Smith]

17 hours ago, petermik said:

What type of visas have been issued to these people I wonder........

Elite 

[malibukid]

14 hours ago, barrybike said:

Imagine sending 70 year old’s to fight , damn ????

might be a good idea.  they can slug it out with their canes rather than guns

[stoner]

so many ill-informed and derogatory comments in this thread. 

[sirineou]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

with a couple of thousand dollars in savings,

Not a lot of money.

 

22 hours ago, webfact said:

and a one-way ticket to Thailand, praying immigration would let him through

With what kind of visa did he enter Thailand with a one way ticket and a couple of thousand dollars? 

22 hours ago, webfact said:

He chose Phuket, he adds, because it was more affordable than renting in neighbouring countries

A couple of thousand of dollars probably gets "18 months  " of rent , food and utilities where you can enjoy life on your balcony . 

22 hours ago, webfact said:

sales to Russian nationals increased 68% on the same period in 2022.

Probably 110% more than 2021

[Olmate]

15 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Not a lot of money.

 

With what kind of visa did he enter Thailand with a one way ticket and a couple of thousand dollars? 

A couple of thousand of dollars probably gets "18 months  " of rent , food and utilities where you can enjoy life on your balcony . 

Probably 110% more than 2021

Who,s  $2000 gets you 18 mths living costs? 

[mikeymike100]

22 hours ago, petermik said:

What type of visas have been issued to these people I wonder........

Yes indeed, what type of visas have these people 'paid' for

[sirineou]

8 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Who,s  $2000 gets you 18 mths living costs? 

The article says "He travelled to the airport in Moscow, with a couple of thousand dollars in savings, and a one-way ticket to Thailand, "

and

" Aleksei* often sits alone on his balcony, and wonders if the past 18 months have been a strange dream."

 

So I assume that $2000 was his. but I can't be certain of that. 

[bradiston]

5 minutes ago, sirineou said:

The article says "He travelled to the airport in Moscow, with a couple of thousand dollars in savings, and a one-way ticket to Thailand, "

and

" Aleksei* often sits alone on his balcony, and wonders if the past 18 months have been a strange dream."

 

So I assume that $2000 was his. but I can't be certain of that. 

And you are what? A Thai immigration officer? What the heck business is it of yours how he got here and what he does when he arrives? You can't even be bothered to read the whole article.

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

And you are what?

I am the guy reading the article and pointing out what I think to be inconsistencies.

Since we are introducing each other, 

And you are?

[spidermike007]

16 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Is there ever a good time to be born into Potato vodka fetal syndrome? 

 

Quite a few of the Russians I saw in 7 in Kata Beach seemed to suffer from that as a child. ????

Well, not to offer them excuses, but if I were born and living in Russia, I would likely be an alcoholic, or heroine user. Anything to dull the pain. 

 

And I say that as a Russian (actually Ukrainian) descendent. Fortunately 3 generations removed. As my great grandmother used to talk me, in answer to my questions, we are not teaching you anything about the old country, because it was the worst place on earth. We were thrilled to have been able to escape to America. 

[bradiston]

43 minutes ago, sirineou said:

I am the guy reading the article and pointing out what I think to be inconsistencies.

Since we are introducing each other, 

And you are?

I'm the guy who points out that reading the full article would answer most of your alleged inconsistencies. What are you, some kind of amateur guess detective? You're not sure where his $2000 came from but you assume it was his. What, no KYC?

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Well, not to offer them excuses, but if I were born and living in Russia, I would likely be an alcoholic, or heroine user. Anything to dull the pain. 

 

And I say that as a Russian (actually Ukrainian) descendent. Fortunately 3 generations removed. As my great grandmother used to talk me, in answer to my questions, we are not teaching you anything about the old country, because it was the worst place on earth. We were thrilled to have been able to escape to America. 

I met a man from Khabarovsk in the spa also. He made no bones about what a hellhole it is. Freezing cold for 6 months and hot for 6 months, with swarms of mosquitoes. A territory almost twice the size of Thailand, there are only 1.5 million people there. His assessment of Putin? A thief who has done nothing for the Russian people. And a woman from Irkutsk on the shores of Lake Baikal, an unimaginably enormous expanse of fresh water, more than all the Great Lakes combined. Communication is the key to enlightenment.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Baikal

[BTB1977]

Property values up 46%. Thanks alot. 

[bradiston]

11 minutes ago, BTB1977 said:

Property values up 46%. Thanks alot. 

You missed the boat then?

[sirineou]

49 minutes ago, bradiston said:

I'm the guy who points out that reading the full article would answer most of your alleged inconsistencies. What are you, some kind of amateur guess detective? You're not sure where his $2000 came from but you assume it was his. What, no KYC?

Or perhaps you are an amature moderator? 

I read the Article thank you very much guy who points out things????

Could you then point out wherein the article that you read fully  it says that Aleksei arrived at the airport with more than $2,000 and a long stay visa? 

[Road Warrior]

On 8/12/2023 at 9:48 AM, petermik said:

What type of visas have been issued to these people I wonder........

interesting comment  indeed !!!!

[bradiston]

54 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Or perhaps you are an amature moderator? 

I read the Article thank you very much guy who points out things????

Could you then point out wherein the article that you read fully  it says that Aleksei arrived at the airport with more than $2,000 and a long stay visa? 

Why would it say that? And once again, what business is it of yours? He has work here. Enough said.

[BarraMarra]

22 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why did you assume Rubles?  He came with USD2,000, as the article clearly stated.  He did not come to retire...VE does not require anything in the bank.

i just presumed he would have rubles in his account being Russian.

[sirineou]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

Why would it say that? And once again, what business is it of yours? He has work here. Enough said.

I guess you have to ask the person who wrote the article. ? And what business'' is it of yours?

[MangoKorat]

On 8/12/2023 at 6:41 AM, malibukid said:

BS, their grandfathers had the courage to stand up against the czar 100 years ago.  snowflakes, cowards

Maybe because they would find plenty of others that held the same views - support wasn't difficult to find. Things are very different now. Putin has spent 24 years controlling the news and brainwashing Russian citizens into believing that the West hates them and is hell bent on breaking up their country. The result is that most Russians feel very insecure and believe that Russia must prepare itself for the threats that in reality only exist in Putin's imagination. They believe that Russia is fighting for its very survival and must stand up to NATO. Over the years Putin has blamed the West for all Russia's woes - if their economy took a dive. it was a creation of the West etc. etc. Its hard for us to understand but Putin enjoys enormous support in Russia.

 

Anyone who suggested that things might be other than Putin says is dealt with very quickly - especially if they appear to be gaining support - look at what happened/is happening to Alexei Navalny. Nothing is allowed to interfere with Putin's alternative version of reality.

 

The result is that the vast majority of Russians support the war in Ukraine - because of the rubbish they've been told.  Anyone who even suggests things are not quite as Putin says they are faces severe consequences.They would also find that they don't have much support amongst their friends and neighbours.  Families have split up over this war - parents refusing to even speak to their children.

[MangoKorat]

6 hours ago, BTB1977 said:

Property values up 46%. Thanks alot. 

Hmmm you can read that part of the report 2 ways. I doubt that property values have increased by 46% in just one quarter. What the article says is:

 

The value of properties being sold has also risen, by 46.7% during the first quarter, according to the Thai Real Estate Association.

 

I take that to mean that Russians are buying more expensive properties, not that property values have risen 46%. Its a fact though, that increased sales = increased values but 46%?????

 

[MangoKorat]

On 8/12/2023 at 7:21 AM, Falcon said:

Funny how they can buy but everyone else has to either put in a company name or put in their (Thai) wife’s name.

How do you know they are allowed to buy property in their name? I very much doubt that.  I think they are subject to the same restrictions as the rest of us in terms of being able to buy land.  Maybe its just that they haven't fallen foul of the system yet.

[MangoKorat]

On 8/12/2023 at 7:08 AM, spidermike007 said:

This would not be a fun time to be a Russian. Having a war loving, despot dictator lording over you has to be miserable. One can only hope they can somehow figure out a way to resolve this soon.

Hope yes but sadly I think its doubtful. On the one hand Ukraine doesn't want to lose a single sq m of land - and why should they? On the other hand, if Putin ends the war without any gains after thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of young Russian men have lost their lives, he's almost certainly finished.

 

I have no doubt that some Western countries will put pressure on Ukraine to give up some land as the cost of supporting them rises.  However, the death of each and every Ukrainian soldier in defending their country from this unprovoked  attack can only strengthen their resolve to give up nothing.

[Chongalulu]

On 8/12/2023 at 6:41 AM, malibukid said:

BS, their grandfathers had the courage to stand up against the czar 100 years ago.  snowflakes, cowards

Although Thais haven’t really stood up recently against their democracy being robbed from them…

[Chongalulu]

13 hours ago, stoner said:

so many ill-informed and derogatory comments in this thread. 

Thankyou for your own contribution..

[stoner]

8 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Thankyou for your own contribution..

ok.