Thailand Sees Influx Of Eastern European Visitors

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TOURISM
Thailand sees influx of Eastern European visitors
The Nation



Over 1.6 million Eastern European tourists landed in Thailand in 2012, 82 per cent from Russia, according to a research.

BANGKOK: -- According to newly released market research by consulting firm C9 Hotelworks, of total, 650,000 visited Phuket in the year, injecting US$1.2 billion into the island’s economy.

Russia’s outbound market to South East Asia shot up over 1.8 million in 2012, making it one the year’s leading storylines. Over 71 per cent of travelers visited Thailand, followed by Vietnam with 9 per cent and 5 per cent for both Indonesia and Cambodia. Singapore attracted 4 per cent of the total.

In 2005, the number of Eastern European visitors to Thailand was only 175,000.

Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks, attributed the sharp increase to the visa exemption implemented in 2007, coupled with the rise of sustained economic explosion in the other Europe - the East.


-- The Nation 2013-04-03

[bigbamboo]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

Edited April 3, 2013 by bigbamboo

[thomash]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

It is one of the easist places in Asia to laundry money that is a big part of it especially in places like Pattaya and Phuket.

[Hedghog]

I have never seen anyone take money to the laundry.

What a strange concept.

[kennedy]

I have never seen anyone take money to the laundry.

What a strange concept.

I knew a Jewish gal that washed her money. I guess you are another worldly TVer.

[NanLaew]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

Pattaya has an over abundance of rooms in cheap hotels with restaurants and pool side bars.

Many rooms have limited in-room catering facilities and yes, there's always a 7-eleven on the block.

Loads of local restaurants cater to the Russians through Russian language menus to full Russian cuisine.

There are cheap baht buses for local excursions and shopping and airconditioned buses to get the tourists out to the many area tourist attractions.

The weather is nicer than most of Russia right now.

Russian tourists have money and charter flights to U-Tapao.

I think that sums up why they are here.

Edited April 3, 2013 by NanLaew

[Tomtomtom69]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

Probably not, but just as many Russians, if not more go to Nha Trang and Mui Ne in Vietnam. Pattaya and Phuket still have plenty of tourists from other countries, but in Nha Trang, at least half are Russian and in Mui Ne, I'd take a guess and say 3/4 are Russians these days.

BTW there are no 7-11s in Vietnam, but they do have Circle K's, M-marts and Family Marts though.

[kennedy]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

Probably not, but just as many Russians, if not more go to Nha Trang and Mui Ne in Vietnam. Pattaya and Phuket still have plenty of tourists from other countries, but in Nha Trang, at least half are Russian and in Mui Ne, I'd take a guess and say 3/4 are Russians these days.

BTW there are no 7-11s in Vietnam, but they do have Circle K's, M-marts and Family Marts though.

That's quiet ironic, I believe that circle K was started by LBJ's wife.

[Soutpeel]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

It is one of the easist places in Asia to laundry money that is a big part of it especially in places like Pattaya and Phuket.

so what your saying is every Russian charter flight into U-Tapao is full of Russians who will laundering money n Pattaya ?...wow must a real easy job for the police to catch them then..

[ZhouZhou]

Good to hear that there is " sustained economic explosion in the other Europe - the East. "

Great Nation. Great culture. One day i want to go to Russia, visit Moscow and see the Black Square.

[JetsetBkk]

We, in Phuket, know all about this.

Unfortunately.

[MikeOboe57]

Good to hear that there is " sustained economic explosion in the other Europe - the East. "

Great Nation. Great culture. One day i want to go to Russia, visit Moscow and see the Black Square.

It is in the Tretyakow Gallery.

[justathought]

Pattaya is sleeping back into one of those rowdy places where you find bad mannered people. Last time I was in Pattaya, there were Russians on the same floor and they stayed up all night drunk/fighting. I got no sleep

[MESmith]

Just back from Koh Chang. Most visitors appeared to from Russia.

[chainarong]

One of the big reasons I believe , why they are changing to L/H drive next year..

[LuckyLew]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

It is one of the easist places in Asia to laundry money that is a big part of it especially in places like Pattaya and Phuket.

These must be the higher quality tourists the PM is looking to attract

[candypants]

Thailand Sees Influx of News Stories Belaboring the Obvious

[candypants]

I have never seen anyone take money to the laundry.

What a strange concept.

I knew a Jewish gal that washed her money. I guess you are another worldly TVer.

if she really loves you, she will launder your cash by hand

[roiet]

Pattaya is sleeping back into one of those rowdy places where you find bad mannered people. Last time I was in Pattaya, there were Russians on the same floor and they stayed up all night drunk/fighting. I got no sleep

I had the same experience in Jomtien, Soi Welcome: Full of russians, menu cards in russian. English menu cards sometimes not available. Lots of bad mannered guests, Shouting at service staff. These R..... guests are all night drunk/fighting. I got no sleep for 2 nights and left this Soi R.... !!

[ChrisY1]

Interestingly, India has ( so I'm led to believe) now changed their immigration rules in an attempt to rid places like Goa of Russians.....maybe has something to do with the increase here in Thailand....

The link indicates issues similar to what is being experienced here in Thailand....Bali is similar also

Havn't gone far enough to be able to confirm the above....

.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russians_in_India

[Phronesis]

What is the SET code for 7/11 and what company distributes Pringles chips in Thailand?

[belg]

anybody wonders why the crime rate will go up a bit when the new russian mob has it's door in some major crime businesses like they do all over the world ?

[Suffinator]

Lot of Russian bashing. I've met a few here in Phuket and they've more more than friendly. Sure there appears to be an issue with them opening up business that conflict with Thais but that's about it. I've heard they (the Russians) are rude and yet I haven't met one yet that has been rude. I like the idea of St. Phuketburg lol

[khunPer]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

Probably not, but just as many Russians, if not more go to Nha Trang and Mui Ne in Vietnam. Pattaya and Phuket still have plenty of tourists from other countries, but in Nha Trang, at least half are Russian and in Mui Ne, I'd take a guess and say 3/4 are Russians these days.

BTW there are no 7-11s in Vietnam, but they do have Circle K's, M-marts and Family Marts though.

All Co. Ltd. – the Thai franchaise-owner of Seven-elleven – is planning to expand business to Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. So if the Russians do come for Seven-ellen shopping, then they will (also) flood theese countries in the future.

[thomash]

I wonder what attracts the Russians to Thailand and in particular Pattaya.

Don't they have 7Elevens in Russia?

It is one of the easist places in Asia to laundry money that is a big part of it especially in places like Pattaya and Phuket.

so what your saying is every Russian charter flight into U-Tapao is full of Russians who will laundering money n Pattaya ?...wow must a real easy job for the police to catch them then..

Of course not but probably most of the Russian owned businesses they go to are connected with money laundering. And yes it probably is pretty easy for the Thai police to catch them so I am sure they just pay them off which is seems to be the main job for most of the police.

[davejones]

I think there are plenty of jealous farangs on TV who just can't bear to think that people from Russia are better off then them. Times have changed - the old West is no longer the center of everything. Get used to it.

[ratcatcher]

What is the SET code for 7/11 and what company distributes Pringles chips in Thailand?

Charoen Pokphand CP group is licensee/franchisee for 7/11.

[super22k]

Surely,Zhou Zhou, you mean Red square or was it a Freudian slip.

It is obviuos why the East Europeans want to come to Thailand. It is to spend all the social security money they have conned out of Britain since the fall of communism.

[chooka]

1.6 million is not a lot out of 24 million as TAT say are arriving.

[Radar501]

Fly Aeroflot Airlines. Stay in Russian dominated hotels. Eat Russian food. Socialize with Russians. Speak Russian.

St. Pattayasburg is home away from home comrade.