Mixed Reactions to Russian Tourists Being Allowed to Stay Longer in Thailand

[Rickster]

It's a bit like giving Palestinians access to the Elite club for 1000THB 🙈🙄

[metisdead]

A troll post contravening our Community Standards has been removed.

[bananafish]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thai's - frightened to death of any form of competition... If they were doing their jobs properly, competition would mean nothing. 

 

Yea, it's ridiculous that Thai's don't speak Russian, eh. 

[BritManToo]

If they've got the money, let them stay.

In fact, why not let everyone who has the money stay as long as they like?

[Chongalulu]

What’s good enough for the Russians is good enough for Hamas ! 
😝 

[Paradise Pete]

If there are not enough Russian-speaking Thais then are Russian tour guides really taking away jobs? Seems like the tourist sites would welcome a tour guide who could steer the groups to their place.

[likerdup1]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourism operators in Pattaya say they are concerned about the Thai government’s visa extension program for Russian tourists as they fear it could bring in an influx of illegal workers who might steal Thai people’s jobs. In contrast, operators in Phuket believe the program will contribute additional revenue to the country.

The Thai Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, on Monday approved for Russian tourists to stay up to 90 days, increased from 30 days, in Thailand on a visa-free program.

 

The new program, aiming to invigorate the number of Russian tourists during the high season, will start on November 1st, 2023, and end on April 30th, 2024.

 

In response to this development, tourism operators in Pattaya shared their concerns stating the program might lead to an uptick in illegal workers.

 

Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, former president of the Chon Buri Tourism Council and group executive director of Sunshine Hotels and Resorts, expressed concern that the waiver could lead to an increase in illegal workers from Russia, which could potentially impact Thai tour guides.

 

He explained that since most Thai guides cannot speak Russian, there is a chance that some Russian individuals might exploit the visa-free program to come to Thailand in order to work illegally as guides or drivers in the tourism industry.

 

By Adam Judd

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2023-10-18

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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This doesn't make sense. If Thailand wants to see some real tourist money give 90 days visa exempt for Scandianvians, Western Europeans, North Americans etc etc. Japananese, Koreans. ( I would not suggest Chinese but hey that's me) Do the Russians really have loads of cash? I mean look at it this way. There are loads of Russian and Eastern European call girls running around LOS. How many German or USA call girls are working Pattaya? 

 

Is there something a bit more sinister going on here? Dare I say some kind of payola going on? This idea doesn't make sense.. maybe unless someone was passed a brown envelope .. a REALLY big one

 

TIT ... This is Thailand.. trying to figure out why certain decisions are made is a fruitless effort.

[bignok]

12 hours ago, ezzra said:

They must have got the wires crossed, Who's talking about stealing work here? only an extension from 30 days to 90 days, i can't see anything wrong with it...

Give everyone 90

Racists

[Denim]

9 hours ago, Trippy said:

That's good, we need more Russian freelancers in Pattaya.

Careful what you wish for . Things could quickly go pear shaped.

 

[likerdup1]

6 minutes ago, Denim said:

Careful what you wish for . Things could quickly go pear shaped.

 

Ah, the memories of Jomtien Pattaya, I mean mammarys  .. down to the knees

[paulikens]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He explained that since most Thai guides cannot speak Russian,

So, the Russians will be tour guides for Russians who wouldn't normally have a tour guide because the majority of Russians don't speak English or Thai.  So, they're not stealing any jobs off Thais.   

[paulikens]

Just now, Shocked farang said:

Your point of view is from a western perspective, Thais are not exactly western and most of them could care less about the Ukraine war plus in their minds Russ are just " farangs" like all the other light skinned people who visit Thailand. 

But the Thai government know about the russia ukraine war and they're the one who decided this policy.  Yes a general member of the thai public couldn't care less about the war and see russians as just farangs but they're not the ones who decided to give them 90 days its the government and they know full well the implications of this.  

[Shocked farang]

35 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

Ah, the memories of Jomtien Pattaya, I mean mammarys  .. down to the knees

I had the same feeling as I once stayed for about 2 weeks in a condominium in Jomtien that had mostly Russian families as customers. Many of them actually owned units there, I can say that I didn't have any issues with them, except that their English was almost non existent. 

[terryofcrete]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

They’re waging war against Ukraine and they get special treatment. Why?”

Putin has been invited to visit Thailand , a wanted man in every country that is signed up to an international arrest warrant agreement . Do we need to even bother looking into the whys really ? The baht knows no morality, 

[Polaky]

14 minutes ago, terryofcrete said:

Putin has been invited to visit Thailand , a wanted man in every country that is signed up to an international arrest warrant agreement . Do we need to even bother looking into the whys really ? The baht knows no morality, 

Let him come, I am sure many would like to see this thug 

[Northstar1]

Give the Ivan’s what they deserve!

send them home 

[WAW1]

1 hour ago, terryofcrete said:

Putin has been invited to visit Thailand , a wanted man in every country that is signed up to an international arrest warrant agreement . Do we need to even bother looking into the whys really ? The baht knows no morality, 

Thailand must love war criminals.  Remember Thailand gave Pol Pot refuge for many years.   

[likerdup1]

1 hour ago, terryofcrete said:

Putin has been invited to visit Thailand , a wanted man in every country that is signed up to an international arrest warrant agreement . Do we need to even bother looking into the whys really ? The baht knows no morality, 

In this light, I highly suspect their are quite a few favors being exchanged concerning this and I would wager at high levels in the bureaucracy. Brown envelopes flying under desks at a high rate of speed.

[maddox41]

Wow 

90 days for them and no one else 

🤔  Good old Thailand always thinking backwards its going to be a slow decline for this country and when its full of all the wrong people and taken over by the farangs the Thais will cry fowl but to late by then 

Such a great place  just run by total🥜  peanuts 

[likerdup1]

1 hour ago, Shocked farang said:

I had the same feeling as I once stayed for about 2 weeks in a condominium in Jomtien that had mostly Russian families as customers. Many of them actually owned units there, I can say that I didn't have any issues with them, except that their English was almost non existent. 

I stayed in a Jomtien high rise for about a year during Covid. It was pretty much empty for most of my stay. Had the place mostly to myself. I left when the mostly Russian tenants started returning. The reason? They love to start cooking that fowl meat stew early in the morning and it stinks everywhere! I couldn't escape it. Apparently it has to be boiled for hours. This particular condo did not have proper isolation of it's venting system. It was unbelievable! LOL!!

 

The large beach going women are kind of a side show. Hands on your hips ladies!!!

[AustinRacing]

90 day tourist ha? It’s fair to say majority of people are employees earning a salary. Employer allowing 3 months off? 
The ones who’d benefit from this are those with no jobs as described above. Welcome gangsters, plenty of time to set up dodgy businesses in Thailand. 

[ikke1959]

If Thais would work they could do, but most are not willing, so stealing is not the problem....

[Mr Meeseeks]

11 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Hardly surprising.

 

Policy on the hoof, with no serious consideration given to a policy's wider impact, is not good governance. 

There is no good governance in Thailand.

[sambum]

"........some Russian individuals might exploit the visa-free program to come to Thailand in order to work illegally as guides or drivers in the tourism industry."

 

Or even open hotels and restaurants and ......................?

[cowellandrew]

I love double standards Thailand, Chinese spewing covid flu get 15 days, Europeans get 30 days, Russians decide to flatten Ukraine get 90 days, I can see Palestinians one 1 year visa!😁

[Billybaroo]

12 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

I applaud the 90 day visa exempt (if I read it right) entry for Russians.  Don't let politics cloud your vision/opinion.

It sets the precedent for the same treatment for other foreigners to come.

  But, the entire point is global politics. Russia is waging war on Ukraine. They are basically a pariah to most of the world except China, North Korea etc. and the Thai government decides to give them preferential treatment over democracies in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. I would say Thailand's decision to do this is almost entirely an attempt to court Russia, especially after Srettha invited Putin to visit Thailand. 

[blazes]

5 hours ago, maddox41 said:

Wow 

90 days for them and no one else 

🤔  Good old Thailand always thinking backwards its going to be a slow decline for this country and when its full of all the wrong people and taken over by the farangs the Thais will cry fowl but to late by then 

Such a great place  just run by total🥜  peanuts 

 No, I think you're right (when you say the Thais will "cry fowl"): the bureaucrats are indeed a bunch of headless chickens.

Why give preference to the citizens of a foul country like Russia?

[blazes]

 

I would suspect that the word has come from Comrade Xi that, if the Thais want help or favours with this and that, they had better toe the line laid down by Beijing/Moscow.

[SiSePuede419]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

It’s cold in Canada as well

Changes in latitude🦜, changes in attitude 🎵

[kimamey]

17 hours ago, dougball said:

Well, that's alright for the russian "tourist" but here I am in Canada struggling to work through the online application for a Tourist visa.....more specifically, the supporting documents  that must be attached electronically. An email to the Thai embassy was no assistance and Thailand has closed the consulate in Toronto.  My 60 day plus 30 vacation has been reduced to  30 using an "on arrival" free visa.  I guess some tourists are more important than others.

With Russia it's mainly the government that's the problem rather than the majority of Russians themselves. However it does seem strange that Canadians, amongst others, are considered less welcome than Russians.

 

I suspect that Russians will bring in more money than Canadians so you won't count as much to politicians who may have financial connections and incentives. Plus extra money to Thais in those tourist areas will get more votes.