Russians aren’t “taking over” Phuket, according to officials

[snoop1130]

 

Following an Al Jazeera report that claims Russians are “taking over” Phuket, Thai officials have looked into the numbers. And their findings claim there’s no takeover in progress.

 

Khaosod English reports that figures released by immigration officials show that between January and August 2023, Phuket welcomed 2,569,052 visitors. Of those, 487,504, or 19.34%, were Russian tourists. Officials say that most Russian arrivals came for short-term stays, with just 9,275, or 1.9%, living in Phuket on long-term visas.

 

The Al Jazeera report had cited concerns from local residents that Russian nationals were taking over businesses such as real estate, tourism, and ride-hailing apps. Some Thais have claimed that Russians are competing with them for jobs that by law, are reserved for Thai citizens.

 

By Peter Roche

Caption: PHOTO: Alamy

 

Full Story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/phuket-news/russians-arent-taking-over-phuket-according-to-officials/

 

-- Phuket GO 2023-09-13

 

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[stoner]

i believe you. i really do comrade. 

[foreverlomsak]

22 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

And their findings claim there’s no takeover in progress.

1. They've already done so, so it is no longer in progress

2. It was the same team that could find no prostitutes in Pattaya

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai officials have looked into the numbers. And their findings claim there’s no takeover in progress.

So that's confirmed it.

[SiSePuede419]

My wife bought a piece of land near her parents house in her Moo Baan for B300K and the Thai officials at the office where she tried to change the owners name wouldn't let her put it in her name because they noticed she was married to a Farang and there might be "money laundering" involved.

 

But the actual people who are stealing money from the Russian people and laundering the money into overpriced "pool villas" can carry on?

 

Riiiiiiight. ????

[stix40]

I see in Phuket lots of 

I love Lada T Shirts ! 

[Hakuna Matata]

Those Russians are not quality tourists.

 

In fact, they are not tourists at all.

 

Most of them are young people, the children of wealthy government officials. They buy illegal ED visas from corrupted immigration officers and their visa agents, a big mafia in Phuket.

 

Business as usual!

 

 

[impulse]

Seems like it would be pretty easy to look up how many Russians have been stamped into the country and how many have been stamped out. 

 

Subtract the number who have legitimate long-stay visas and you got yourself some data...

 

Of course they're not all in Phuket.  But then how do they know how many are actually in Phuket, other than those who report on TM30 and 90 day reports?

 

  

[khaowong1]

Pretty sure, the people who actually live in Phuket would know what's going on.  Anyone on here from Phuket?  Would you like to chime in and tell us your viewpoint?  

[bignok]

Lots of Spanish i noticed in a few other places. Running from the chavs.

[Venom]

The Russians are taking over. I tells ya. ????????????

[NanLaew]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:40 AM, SiSePuede419 said:

My wife bought a piece of land near her parents house in her Moo Baan for B300K and the Thai officials at the office where she tried to change the owners name wouldn't let her put it in her name because they noticed she was married to a Farang and there might be "money laundering" involved.

There's a no-charge affidavit that you sign that says the money's a gift and you have no legal claim on the land. It's been that way for decades. Sounds like your local land office maybe wants a "consideration" for doing something that's already perfectly legal and within their remit to do for free.

 

On 9/14/2023 at 7:40 AM, SiSePuede419 said:

But the actual people who are stealing money from the Russian people and laundering the money into overpriced "pool villas" can carry on?

Are we talking about Phuket? The island province where there were already more registered chanotes than actual plots of land decades before the Russians "invaded"?