Ridiculous. What kind of message is this sending?

 

From Sydney consulate website:

 

On 16 October 2023, the Royal Thai Government has approved a unilateral and temporary tourist visa exemption scheme for holders of Russian passports or travel documents, entering the Kingdom of Thailand from 1 November 2023 to 30 April 2024, to be able to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 90 days. This temporary arrangement aims to facilitate Russian tourists travelling to Thailand and to enhance people-to-people ties between Thailand and Russia.

We love Borsht?

6 minutes ago, csaba81 said:

So what makes Russians deserving of 90 day visa exemption??

Careless spending habits?

Americas proxy war with Russia is not Thailands war! 

The Russian Ruble.

Oil.

Chinas proxy war with America, is Thailands war.

24 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

Chinas proxy war with America, is Thailands war.

China is not at war with America, However America wants a proxy war with China using Taiwan, Just like they use Ukraine to fight Russia! 

50 minutes ago, CharlieKo said:

Americas proxy war with Russia is not Thailands war! 

Ok , i can understand that , but what has it got to do with 90d visa ? Are Afghan or Iran people also given 90d visa ?

Quote

Ridiculous. What kind of message is this sending?

 

From Sydney consulate website:

 

On 16 October 2023, the Royal Thai Government has approved a unilateral and temporary tourist visa exemption scheme for holders of Russian passports or travel documents, entering the Kingdom of Thailand from 1 November 2023 to 30 April 2024, to be able to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 90 days. This temporary arrangement aims to facilitate Russian tourists travelling to Thailand and to enhance people-to-people ties between Thailand and Russia.

It's sending this message.  "Thailand and Russia are open for mutually beneficial trade."

The West and Western citizens
"We hate Russia (and China too).  Russia must be punished.  The Russian government must be overthrown and Putin removed.  And all ethnic Russians must be punished too."

The rest of Asia and the Global South.
😁 "Trading with Russian and China is good for business."

My own observation:
If you have solid international trading partners that are mutually beneficial, then you aren't bombing your partners into oblivion.

Creating instability in countries globally, then creating the conditions to either overthrow their governments or create an artificial casus-belli to bomb the target country into oblivion (then extract their natural resources and park military bases on their property) is the bailiwick of Western colonial powers.

That era is coming to a close. And it's accelerating.  It is being replaced by trade and mutual cooperation agreements between Asian, Middle East, and Global South partners.  I.e, BRICS+ and BRI and other economic trading corridors and agreements.

US neo-con Michael Ledeen pretty much summed it up in the Ledeen Doctrine:
"Every now and again the United States has to pick up a crappy little country and throw it against a wall just to prove we are serious."

Problems being?  All those "crappy little countries" are getting tired of the West's colonial foreign policies, and now are beginning to rally around stronger players (China and Russia) in mutual economic (and defense) agreements because they are getting sick and tired of getting "thrown against the wall" and are banding together for self-protection, and to make themselves resilient to Western sanctions and interference.  In the end, the West will alienate themselves from the rest of the global population who wish only to trade and prosper right down the the average man and woman on the street.

So to recap?  Thai-Russian economic cooperation is good for Thai businesses and for the Thai population.  As is all good-faith trade.

"But I hate China and Russia.  They're evil."

Yeah. Whatever.  That attitude just create war.

Each Russian arrival & stayover is (potentially) one less recruit for the Russian forces killing & raping Ukrainians.

So what makes Russians deserving of 90 day visa exemption??

 

 

My guess would be the Bilateral Agreement made between the two countries in 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Russian FM at the time was Sergei Lavrov.

 

So Thais can visit Russia without a visa, but are currently limited to 30 days unless Russia has also extended the period?

 

The change for Russians from 30 to 90 days was done because of the winter weather in Russia, we were told.

 

 

 

 

Its a simple reciprocal agreement; Russia gave Thais the 90 days for visiting Russia. 

Something for Smiley to talk about when meeting Putin 🙂  But it sure made a lot of people from other countries ask the same question - why not us? 

 

Thailand has decided to drop tourists from the West - China, India and Russia are very welcome. What could possibly go wrong with that strategy?  Only time will tell I guess.

I am in phuket just now and the Russian presence isn't that big. I am only fluent in 2 dilects so far.

2 hours ago, novacova said:

Careless spending habits?

 

Russia has cheap oil. India and China immensely profit from it, and, perhaps, Thailand wants in too. Also, Putin is Xi's best buddy, and China is Thailand's o̶v̶e̶r̶l̶o̶r̶d̶...

28 minutes ago, Social Media said:

Its a simple reciprocal agreement; Russia gave Thais the 90 days for Russia. 

 

Funny, Vietnam doesn't need such reciprocal agreements, but still gives tourists of a large number of countries 45 or 90 days...

Because they need to boost tourist numbers.  So bring in half of russia.

21 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Russia has cheap oil. India and China immensely profit from it, and, perhaps, Thailand wants in too. Also, Putin is Xi's best buddy, and China is Thailand's o̶v̶e̶r̶l̶o̶r̶d̶...

 

Thailand is trying to get cheap oil...by giving longer tourist visas...to draft-dodging Russians? 🤔

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

Each Russian arrival & stayover is (potentially) one less recruit for the Russian forces killing & raping Ukrainians.

 

That's actually a really nice way to look at it.

1 hour ago, CharlieKo said:

However America wants a proxy war with China using Taiwan, Just like they use Ukraine to fight Russia! 

I am reminded of that sad day, February 24, 2022, when Ukraine invaded Russia. 

South Koreans have had 90 Day Visa Exempt for years.  I guess Russians and Koreans are now equally valued as a tourists and visitors? 

2 hours ago, minotaur said:

Oil.

Only a small proportion of Thailand's imported oil comes from Russia.

33 minutes ago, QuantumQuandry said:

 

Thailand is trying to get cheap oil...

Thailand doesn't need to "try" to get cheap oil from Russia, it already gets around just 25% of it's oil from there.  Most comes from the Middle East and the Far East. 

11 minutes ago, Peabody said:

I am reminded of that sad day, February 24, 2022, when Ukraine invaded Russia. 

You needed reminding?

2 hours ago, sezze said:

Ok , i can understand that , but what has it got to do with 90d visa ? Are Afghan or Iran people also given 90d visa ?

Don't be silly. Afghani's don't have enough money, and does anyone want Iranians?

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You needed reminding?

Ukraine is so last year's news. We have a different war to quibble over now.

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Don't be silly. Afghani's don't have enough money, and does anyone want Iranians?

Why would Thailand not want Iranian tourists?  They've been here  for years already.

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

Its a simple reciprocal agreement; Russia gave Thais the 90 days for Russia. 

I suspected that. NZ used to get a 90 day reciprocal agreement till NZ stopped it and Thailand also in revenge.

1 hour ago, Social Media said:

Its a simple reciprocal agreement; Russia gave Thais the 90 days for Russia. 

I suspected that. NZ used to get a 90 day reciprocal agreement till NZ stopped it and Thailand also in revenge.