PM Srettha pledges to woo back Russian tourists with revived flights

[Brian Hull]

Why don’t we scrap visas altogether?

They were originally introduced for the purpose of vetting would-be visitors to a country, so that the applicant could be screened to see if he or she should be welcomed. This is no longer the case. Visas on entry are often granted, in which case none of the information is pre-checked. Of course, governments need to know who is in their country, but this could be achieved by the simple expedient of a simple questionnaire at the time of entry accompanied by an entry fee. Stop gilding the lily by calling it a “Visa”.

Thailand was surprised to find that when they offer visa-free entry they get more tourists which should be obvious.

And the common current practice in some countries of granting more generous terms to some nationalities than others smacks of racial discrimination.

[shackleton]

It all comes down to money 💰 

High spending European tourists are staying away while Thailand promotes Russians Chinese and Indians as the  preferred tourists

Numbers mean a lot to the Thai Tourist board as long as most if them  stay in Phuket and Pattaya carry on 

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, Pouatchee said:

thailand was a retreat for us soldiers during the vietnam war... my guess is sretha is hoping to do the same with russian soldiers now. only good thing is while they are here they are not carrying guns in ukraine. 

 

if only russians were a sympathetic people. all the russians i have seen really want nothing else to do with anyone else... and i say 'seen' cos i have never got to know one of them... 

You'd think they'd be ecstatic to be here in the sun away from the hellhole that is Russia, however, every single Russian I see looks like they've just trod on a dog turd.

[bobbin]

My condo in Jomtien has become about 75% Russian in the last year.. They keep coming and a lot of them are in no hurry to go home..

 

I'm seriously considering selling the condo.

 

I didn't sign up for this..

[sambum]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

No, no, please don't. 

I have friends who know younger Russians. And they say they are kind, friendly and progressive. I have no idea what percentage of the population these younger people represent, nor how representative they are of the Russian population. Personally, I have met very few friendly Russians. Anywhere in the world. The vast majority of Russians I have met, seem to have very, very few redeeming qualities. It is no wonder.

 

I can only speak from my experience. Have run into alot of Russians both in the US, and on Phuket and Samui, 98% of them seem to be grumpy, unfriendly and gruff. Some of them are downright hostile. Likely a reflection of a very, very rough culture and environment. Now, with the genocide against Ukraine, perhaps it is not a coincidence that the world is not standing up to support them and show them kindness? Just an observation.

 

Some appear entitled, but I do not think it is a sense of entitlement. I think it is a reflection of the current culture. It was destroyed over a century of callous and murderous leadership. Stalin, Lenin, Khruschev, now Putin. They have become somewhat savage and crude. No grace, no finesse, no courtesy. Rather uncivilized.

 

My family was from Russia a few generations back. I used to ask my great-grandmother when she was still around, why they didn't teach us anything about the old country. She would give me this look, and tell me "the reason we never teach you about the place we came from, is because the place we came from was the most horrific country on earth, it was the most destitute, horrible, oppressive place and we were thrilled to finally get out of there and leave it behind. That's why we don't teach you about the old country, the old country doesn't exist for us".

 

I agree with your post, but is it not a repeat of one you posted a while ago? I seem to remember the account about your grandmother? 

[sambum]

"Woo back"?

 

The place is crawling with them already, and SpiderMike hit the nail on the head.

 

I have never come across a Russian with what we would call manners - I don't know what they would call it because it seems to be such a rarity.

[Clarkey611]

Is the GGJ trying to find his niche as part of TAT, as his days as Prime Minister are coming to an end soon?

[Pouatchee]

23 minutes ago, jesimps said:

You'd think they'd be ecstatic to be here in the sun away from the hellhole that is Russia, however, every single Russian I see looks like they've just trod on a dog turd.

 

Typical Leo Tolstoy i gotta look devoid of feeling attitude can be seen in their faces.

 

I did teach a 13 year old and her younger sister. They were vibrant and veryyy clever. Sad thing is the older sister could not be trusted to give the time of day. One day father came to school... pickled drunk.

[crazykopite]

Is there not enough of the conscript deserters in Thailand already here on the islands Russian is becoming the second language !

[crazykopite]

4 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

thailand was a retreat for us soldiers during the vietnam war... my guess is sretha is hoping to do the same with russian soldiers now. only good thing is while they are here they are not carrying guns in ukraine. 

 

if only russians were a sympathetic people. all the russians i have seen really want nothing else to do with anyone else... and i say 'seen' cos i have never got to know one of them... 

I had a run in with one last week damaged my cars wing mirror jumped up little tosser who tried to do a quick runner but this 73 year old fella ( that’s  me) wasn’t going to let him get away with it I escorted him to the ATM and once paid I urged him to go back to his home country !

[Bangkok Barry]

11 hours ago, mark131v said:

Anyone backing Russia and Putin is morally bankrupt especially with Navalny barely cold! the world may well judge their actions

 

Unfortunately it's not at all surprising as in Thailand you can pretty much guarantee if there's a choice of doing right or wrong they always go the wrong way

 

It's what you get when poor education and low iq is mixed with dim entitled idiots in charge and matched with nepotism and corruption, an absolute recipe for disaster!

 

Talking of low IQ, hasn't it occurred to you that the Russians coming to Thailand are doing so to escape Putin? And that the government here is wanting to help them by adding more flights? How is that 'backing Putin'?

[crazykopite]

53 minutes ago, shackleton said:

It all comes down to money 💰 

High spending European tourists are staying away while Thailand promotes Russians Chinese and Indians as the  preferred tourists

Numbers mean a lot to the Thai Tourist board as long as most if them  stay in Phuket and Pattaya carry on 

There on Samui ,Phangan and Koh Tao renting a handful of properties off Thais then doubling the rent and I bet not one of them has got a work permit the Thai language schools are run off there feet !

[Bangkok Barry]

40 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

I agree with your post, but is it not a repeat of one you posted a while ago? I seem to remember the account about your grandmother? 

 

I sometimes repeat posts, as not everyone reads all the posts. If you've read it before then move on to the next.

[Bangkok Barry]

21 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

Is there not enough of the conscript deserters in Thailand already here on the islands Russian is becoming the second language !

 

You think they should go and kill total strangers in Ukraine instead of dodging the draft, then?

[bamnutsak]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The 62 year old PM divulged intentions to engage in discussions with Thai Airways to reignite the direct route between Moscow and Bangkok. With Thai Airways already re-establishing flights between Istanbul and Bangkok, the prime minister remains optimistic about reviving the Moscow-Bangkok route.

 

As long as Russia agrees not to seize the aircraft and scavenge it for parts, the PM should feel free to reignite. TG will have to check with the lessor of the airframe for approvals and probably pony a surety/bond in the $150  - $250 million range. 

 

https://simpleflying.com/major-airlines-serving-russia-2024-list/#emirates

 

 

 

Russia was taken by surprise when it lost 76 passenger planes due to Ukraine invasion sanctions, minister says

 

https://news.yahoo.com/russia-taken-surprise-lost-76-153930038.html

 

 

Edited February 21 by bamnutsak

[NatureFilm]

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

The moral compass of a soi dog as normal 🤔

Don't insult the soi dogs!

[Ben Zioner]

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

The moral compass of a soi dog as normal 🤔

Naahh, Soi dogs make sense when they overcome their natural bloodthirstiness.

[Thumbs]

Thats going to go down well with Putin, he has been losing 1000 soldiers a day in recent weeks attacking Adivka, he will need to start drafting again after the elections so males of fighting age will have to flee

[zhounan]

This businessman thinks 1,000 and makes 1

[CANSIAM]

A poster said on a similar topic earlier..." Let more and more in spend more multiple millions on property purchases, motorbike rental businesses etc etc, then there will be a complete change of heart, they'll boot the majority out, reclaim and resell property to a new bunch"  quite believable,  or maybe if Putin uses tactical nuclear weapons at some point maybe the PM will have different thoughts about the mighty Russian Federation Passport......    

[CANSIAM]

16 minutes ago, Thumbs said:

Thats going to go down well with Putin, he has been losing 1000 soldiers a day in recent weeks attacking Adivka, he will need to start drafting again after the elections so males of fighting age will have to flee

There you go, doors are open to Thailand, but Putin closes the doors for departures from the motherland....

Edited February 21 by CANSIAM

[ChipButty]

Most of the ones I have met over the last couple of years are not in Russia, come from all sorts of places, They cannot use Airbnb or Booking from Russia, quite a few live in Turkey I met a couple they said they live in Uzbekistan they still had Russian passports, 

Must be a fair amount that have left Russia for other parts of the world, Bali has it's fair share, 

 

 

Edited February 21 by ChipButty

[puck2]

4 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

The moral compass of a soi dog as normal 🤔

 

That's an insult of the soi dogs in our village!

[Jackbenimble]

12 hours ago, mark131v said:

Anyone backing Russia and Putin is morally bankrupt especially with Navalny barely cold! the world may well judge their actions

 

Unfortunately it's not at all surprising as in Thailand you can pretty much guarantee if there's a choice of doing right or wrong they always go the wrong way

 

It's what you get when poor education and low iq is mixed with dim entitled idiots in charge and matched with nepotism and corruption, an absolute recipe for disaster!

Just because you believe the propoganda pumped out by the western medias it doesn't mean we all do. Believing the media - period - is not a good strategy. They prove over and over again to be nothing more than a mouthpiece for the governments. And I trust politicians even less than I trust journos.

USA is a far greater threat to world peace than Russia. 

Edited February 21 by Jackbenimble

[retarius]

12 hours ago, mark131v said:

Anyone backing Russia and Putin is morally bankrupt especially with Navalny barely cold! the world may well judge their actions

 

Unfortunately it's not at all surprising as in Thailand you can pretty much guarantee if there's a choice of doing right or wrong they always go the wrong way

 

It's what you get when poor education and low iq is mixed with dim entitled idiots in charge and matched with nepotism and corruption, an absolute recipe for disaster!

I disagree, Russia is in the right and was provoked severely by the west. They have conducted the war in the the most moral fashion, scrupulously observing the rules of war and  minimising civilian casualties (in marked contrast to Israel's tactics in Gaza which are designed to maximise civilian deaths), whilst Ukraine have resorted to terrorism against civilians, not that I blame them in this asymmetric contest where they are outgunned. Putin, although you may not like him, is a humanitarian and a gentleman whereas Ukraine shoots down a plane that it has been informed is full of named exchange POWs. 

[Will B Good]

So there are no international sanctions?.....oh wait.....what does that matter........this is Thailand's morally bankrupt, unelected government.....

[CANSIAM]

1 hour ago, jesimps said:

You'd think they'd be ecstatic to be here in the sun away from the hellhole that is Russia, however, every single Russian I see looks like they've just trod on a dog turd.

Give that 'I just stepped in beach dog turd' look right back at them !!!! 

[ChipButty]

Hopefully soon the Russians here will say thats enough, no more, 

[sikishrory]

1 hour ago, bobbin said:

My condo in Jomtien has become about 75% Russian in the last year.. They keep coming and a lot of them are in no hurry to go home..

 

I'm seriously considering selling the condo.

 

I didn't sign up for this..

How are they there? My building is the same as you describe.

The sound of screaming Russian babies permeates to every corner of our building. Slamming doors constantly. Blowing noses onto the floor. Subletting. Stealing. Generally being misearable frowny disrespectful miserablists.

Is it just my condo or are other people having the same experience with them?

I am surprised management put up with them as there is a swimming pool not far from where they sit and it's normally full of a few little Boris and Igors producing the sound of 1000 regular children and throwing crap all over the place with no control whatsoever.

[vivananahuahin]

The wrong choice with now the death of this activist, and they go ask a fair trade agreement with Europe, they can forget it, it is a very inappropriate political decision I think, to follow