Do You Think The Russification Of Pattaya Is A Good Thing Or Not?

[gotlost]

I have always said if you sleep with the devil.... Check out Breaking news on the BKP at this moment..lead headline Nostalgic Russians venerate Stalin. Do I have to say more?

[moo9]

Pattaya has seen 'influxes; from several countries and regions over the years.

With each group it was th cheap package tourists that came first.

You've seen waves of Americans (military), Germans, British, now Russians and places like Iran.

It makes Pattaya a more interesting place.

It's good.

It would be good but nowadays it becomes a monoculture of Russians, Chinese and Arabs. Every tiny food stall now offers their goodies in Russian. English and other European languages will disappear soon. I do not like all the above as they also behave rude and nontolerant in general.

[californiabeachboy]

One way to keep out the Russians, as well as a lot of the Europeans, is to pass a law that says nobody who weighs over 200lbs/80kilos is allowed to wear a skimpy "speedo" during daylight hours. I spent three days at a hotel up in NaKlua last year, with mostly Russians and Germans. The number of pot-bellied old men (and a significant number of women) who strutted around with their belly overhanging whatever they may have been wearing underneath was shocking and offensive, and I am not easily offended. I could not sit out by the pool. Let's get a law passed, and get the someone (who?)to enforce it, and the problem would be solved.

[craigt3365]

One way to keep out the Russians, as well as a lot of the Europeans, is to pass a law that says nobody who weighs over 200lbs/80kilos is allowed to wear a skimpy "speedo" during daylight hours. I spent three days at a hotel up in NaKlua last year, with mostly Russians and Germans. The number of pot-bellied old men (and a significant number of women) who strutted around with their belly overhanging whatever they may have been wearing underneath was shocking and offensive, and I am not easily offended. I could not sit out by the pool. Let's get a law passed, and get the someone (who?)to enforce it, and the problem would be solved.

I remember walking around with my ex-wife in a mall several years ago. We saw an extremely large lady wearing those stretchy spandex pants. It was a horrible sight. Her comment was that wearing spandex should be a privilege, not a right!

I saw 3 guys riding from the ambassador to town last week on the "baht bus". Wearing nothing but speedos. Unreal...

[Michaelaway]

One way to keep out the Russians, as well as a lot of the Europeans, is to pass a law that says nobody who weighs over 200lbs/80kilos is allowed to wear a skimpy "speedo" during daylight hours. I spent three days at a hotel up in NaKlua last year, with mostly Russians and Germans. The number of pot-bellied old men (and a significant number of women) who strutted around with their belly overhanging whatever they may have been wearing underneath was shocking and offensive, and I am not easily offended. I could not sit out by the pool. Let's get a law passed, and get the someone (who?)to enforce it, and the problem would be solved.

Hey! Didn't you know about the Russian proclivity to use garments until they no longer can be used? The current record holder (I think he's in Plinsk) still wears his childhood Speedo proudly; it still bears the faint traces of Nikita Khrushchev's autograph around the crotch area... hopelessly lost under a 25 kilo fleshy fold. Not a pretty picture, but here's one anyway; isn't that the famous Lake Blubber, outside Plinsk...

[chops]

Fact is, they're ruining the place. I don't care how beautiful their women are. Soon, you'll be needing to sing the Russian anthem just to sit down at a bar on walking street. You think that's funny? Reality will hit soon enough.

I'm now living up here in Chiang Rai. No package tourist invasions. No loud music. And best part is, no Russians!

[sojourner007]

Fact is, they've ruining the place. I don't care how beautiful their women are. Soon, you'll be needing to sing the Russian anthem just to sit down at a bar on walking street. You think that's funny? Reality will hit soon enough.

I'm now living up here in Chiang Rai. No package tourist invasions. No loud music. And best part is, no Russians!

Isn't it ironic. The US officially won the cold war and the USSR lost it, but in Pattaya (and many other tourist spots around the world) it is the Russians who are now celebrating while Americans all but disappeared, being in reality forced out by the red tide, and by the mismanagement of their own economy, either to return home or, in case of Pattaya, into the dark side and further away deep into Thai provinces.

BTW, it seems most of the forum members are Anglo-Saxons. I wonder what other Western Europeans think about the Russians here in Pattaya? Germans have not suffered from the financial crisis and in fact increased their presence in Pattaya recently. They culturally closer to Russians than the English-speaking folk and perhaps don't mind them so much. Is there a website like thaivisa.com for German speakers?

[surayu]

So far, the only issue i had with the "russification" of Pattaya, is the cyrillic, many business have only sign in russian language and no english at all, as the english language it's the most widespread around the globe of all the different languages, then we should stick with it.

Too many different languages are only creating a barrier between people, if it was for me, i would abolish all of them and make an universal one, if one individual is interested in his own tradition/culture then it should be learned as a secondary subject.

In my country we have some extremist city mayor which did try to take off the national language and told all the public school teachers to only use the city dialect at school, luckily the government did something good in this case and banned the dialect again....this "russification" of Pattaya is not much different, it target a minority, creating confusion/problems to everybody else, in the hope of gaining some extra bahts, obviously offering some better quality/value or service it's not a point to take into consideration, too much effort for it....

[Rimmer]

So's we all stay safe lets just review the Forum rules at this point shall we.

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[jdinasia]

I kinda doubt that if you exchanged Russification for any other nationality that this thread would exist.

[surayu]

I kinda doubt that if you exchanged Russification for any other nationality that this thread would exist.

for that you would need to exchange all the russian language writing around town with one of those other national languages

[bartender100]

Fact is, they're ruining the place. I don't care how beautiful their women are. Soon, you'll be needing to sing the Russian anthem just to sit down at a bar on walking street. You think that's funny? Reality will hit soon enough.

I'm now living up here in Chiang Rai. No package tourist invasions. No loud music. And best part is, no Russians!

Not for long, I've been telling all the Russians i meet how nice it is up there

[zhaffsky]

I'm Russian. I think the vote should be renamed to "Do you think the Russification of Pattaya is a good thing for Pattaya or not?" ;-)

In my opnion it is a bad thing for Pattaya but a good thing for the rest of Thailand ;-) Because the rest of the Thailand goes on un-russified and unspoiled as far as service quality is concerned.

Myself I don't go to Pattaya anymore. Not because I don't like Russians but because of our low standards. A hospitality of this place degraded tremendously.

[Jingthing]

Welcome to the Russian guy. I don't really see a difference in the meaning of the existing poll question and your proposed one. They BOTH refer specifically to Pattaya quite clearly. I also don't agree that a thread like this wouldn't be of interest if it was ANOTHER group beginning to dominate the city demographically. Of course it would, think about it, domination by Americans, Germans, Iranians, Nigerians, etc. would all raise people's awareness and concern about changes. I agree the service standards overall in this area are poor but that aspect I don't really link directly to the Russian wave. Do other people? I don't see it. As far as Russian signage, that doesn't bother me unless its a place that I want to go to that doesn't offer English signage, and so far, that has happened to me once. I do agree we are likely to see more of that.

[craigt3365]

I'm Russian. I think the vote should be renamed to "Do you think the Russification of Pattaya is a good thing for Pattaya or not?" ;-)

In my opnion it is a bad thing for Pattaya but a good thing for the rest of Thailand ;-) Because the rest of the Thailand goes on un-russified and unspoiled as far as service quality is concerned.

Myself I don't go to Pattaya anymore. Not because I don't like Russians but because of our low standards. A hospitality of this place degraded tremendously.

Yes, welcome! Always great to hear other points of view!!

I do agree, Pattaya is not known for being of high standards. There's an attempt by bringing in some 4 star hotels...but most of central Pattaya doesn't stand up.

[Darrel]

The really nice thing about the influx of Russians is that they make me look generous and rich, instead of the kineow I am.

Probably bad news for Pattaya though as the people who spend real money (single males after a good time, expats, richer farang families) will probably rather not go anywhere that's full of Russians. And the Russians will leave the second they think they can get the same holiday for 10B less elsewhere (Cambodia, Vietnam etc.).

[thailandbluegrass]

'Sex on the beach" used to be the name of a drink before they got here. New pole?

I don't think that a couple of Russians having nude sex on the beach across from the police station in front of hundreds of woman, children and Thais in a culture where Nudity is frowned upon and then them saying "Oh I didn't know that was ilegal in Thailand" stands in the catagory of being rude does it?

[Jingthing]

I see many Russians spending very liberally. But not generally in the same places as the more traditional sex tourists. I don't accept they are mostly particularly cheap and/or skint. Also I don't think the Russians are going to jump the Pattaya ship anytime soon either. They may lessen if their economy declines deeply, but now that the basic infrastructure to support incoming Russians is robustly developed, the clear trend now is even more Russians. Not so different than Brits in Southern Spain (at least when I went there long ago). Some people back in Russia are doing a very excellent job marketing Pattaya. I saw a recent Russian film and some characters referred to Thailand as the ultimate paradise on earth (and if someone goes there you would be jealous of them), compared to cold Russia. In Hollywood movies, you most get Thailand deviant sex/hooker jokes, and the paradise references are more likely to be about Hawaii or the Caribbean.

[Rimmer]

Inflammatory post removed from view

[Ulysses G.]

I'm Russian.

Huh? He is Russian.

[AzarovDmitriy]

I'm Russian and I appreciate your opinion. I have read this topic, and I think that everything you say here is true. My folk, or rather most of it is really rude. That is why, when a Russian man sees other Russian man, he usually tries to leave (go away) and never shows that he is too Russian. In order to not show that he from the same group of rude people. It is pity, but it's reality. Of cause, I am from the same group.

[taff33]

I'm glad I live in the sticks up north ,I vist pattaya about 2-3 times a year always glad to get back to the 'jungle'.

[AzarovDmitriy]

Yes, it's true, in the North of Pattaya Russians less than in anywhere. Exception the area nearby to the hotel Long Beach.

[zhaffsky]

I don't really link directly to the Russian wave. Do other people? I don't see it.

Well... I don't know other explanation why the staff of 3-star hotels now speaks so poor English. Or why you have to call three times to the reception and finally go there yourself if you need something. Such a thing is simply impossible in Bangkok. I attribute it to Russian tourists not speaking English and not demanding quality service. Perhaps we can thank Chinese package tourists for this too. Why bother to hire quality personnel if any former rice field worker will suffice?

But there is more to it. Russian forums are receiving more and more reports of Russians getting into fights with Thais. The reasons are ridiculous like misunderstanding over the few hundred baht. Or there was a guy recently who bragged about not paying and beating Baht bus driver because the driver refused to go to far end of Jomtien.

Such reports a pretty disturbing to me since this means that Pattaya's Thais are adopting to rude behavior.

[StasD]

I'm Russian and I appreciate your opinion. I have read this topic, and I think that everything you say here is true. My folk, or rather most of it is really rude. That is why, when a Russian man sees other Russian man, he usually tries to leave (go away) and never shows that he is too Russian. In order to not show that he from the same group of rude people. It is pity, but it's reality. Of cause, I am from the same group.

Yes Dmitry, we are so bad that we need to be punished unconditionally! I am ready for it!!! but you?

[AzarovDmitriy]

But firstly, they should remember that good brought up man never says bad words about other person.

I am ready listen to the same confession of our expats from different country who accused Russian people. You know, they are good brought up, are not it? I hope for them sincerity.

[surayu]

As far as Russian signage, that doesn't bother me unless its a place that I want to go to that doesn't offer English signage, and so far, that has happened to me once. I do agree we are likely to see more of that.

Well, you see, in my case, i usually always look at the signs outside of the places i don't know yet, exactly to try to find out what they are all about and see if they might have something that is of my interest, it's one of the first point of contact, not being able to understand it, that sign will fail in his main purpose, but being this Thailand, perhaps the owner of the place is trying to do exactly that? we are (or should be at this point) all aware of how this "phenomenom" affect some (actually many) local minds, "oh i am having too many customers coming to bother me, better i do something about it..." :jap:

[surayu]

Yes Dmitry, we are so bad that we need to be punished unconditionally! I am ready for it!!! but you?

Are you by any chances alluding to that place where the ladies whiplash their patrons with some sort of foamish rubber sticks? surely one of the funniest places in Pattaya to get your punishment served right

[moo9]

I see many Russians spending very liberally. But not generally in the same places as the more traditional sex tourists. I don't accept they are mostly particularly cheap and/or skint. Also I don't think the Russians are going to jump the Pattaya ship anytime soon either. They may lessen if their economy declines deeply, but now that the basic infrastructure to support incoming Russians is robustly developed, the clear trend now is even more Russians. Not so different than Brits in Southern Spain (at least when I went there long ago). Some people back in Russia are doing a very excellent job marketing Pattaya. I saw a recent Russian film and some characters referred to Thailand as the ultimate paradise on earth (and if someone goes there you would be jealous of them), compared to cold Russia. In Hollywood movies, you most get Thailand deviant sex/hooker jokes, and the paradise references are more likely to be about Hawaii or the Caribbean.

Why should their economy decline? The have oil, gas, metals and a big consumer base. Instead of declinig, Pattaya will be too low so for them...

I don't like the recent devepment in Pattaya at all. One gets run over by Russian couples almost everywhere and the nationalistic attitude is similar to the Chineses. It took us in the West more than one generation to develop a certain tolerance. So there is a way to go.

[Danlo]

JING....Quote, subtle reserved smiles of course and also kind of like, this is our place now, we've claimed it. you wrote, mate its all in your mind, they are tourists just like any other, a few Russian language signs about and they are taking over, what rubbish.

Thailand has realised there are more tourists than just single men and are trying to encourage them that's why Jomtien has many because is more family friendly and nicer beaches, they are not taking over just because there are a few Russian bars/Restaurants.