Phuket Immigration Task Force Targetting Foreigners Nabs Russian

[Suroo]

Thais on the street sure as hell don't like Russians (in the main) but the Government guys love them....oil-ay oil-ay oil-ay!

Maybe the Russians are (in the main and on the street as visitors/business people) right vis-vis doing business here? The FALANG has been messed around with long enough but it looks like the Russian has brought his bearishness with him to Thailand. Maybe this non-cuddly non-panda version of the species will be less docile than what has come before.

The least that might come out of this is that someone who sets up a business in Thailand will be granted the common dignity to be allowed to work, walk and be present without restriction within the environs of the enterprise as he/she thinks fit- as is the norm in all civilised countries.

[TheGhostWithin]

Well then please show me any other nationality within the paradise of Phuket who flaunts as much as russian do with their signage that can be understood by only themselves.... And flaunt that they do business in Thailand with this signage, who flaunts that they are stealing business from the Thais.

Wish they were a bit mote discreet about it.....

Where I travel (in Thailand), there is signage all over the place, for which many Thais do not understand, They speak a language which many local Thais do not understand. There is no English writing for me, no tour desks, no Russians. There are bombs and beheadings.. my favorite noodle shop was bombed a year ago, 3 months after I was there and ate. There is nothing discrete about what that group of people do either.

The difference is, the Government are approaching that issue diplomatically, whereas they are approaching the Russian view with absolute selective attacks on a single racial group, which deserved or not (considering how much crime some on here allege Russians are responsible for) amounts to discrimination and racism. There are laws in many countries against such "racial profiling". Not here, obviously no intention to implement new ones either. The reason this group of people are discriminated against, as we westerners were before the Russians came, and the Chinese underclass were before us (a very long time ago, I know) is because we are not Thai nationals and therefore have less knowledge and power to pursue wrongdoings and discrimination. It is a common pattern throughout Thai history.

[TheGhostWithin]

what your country does, doesn't matter. I am happy for Thai, I wish my country did the same instead, most Canadians couldn't dream of jobs for Canadians first or affording a home in the real estate stock market . Thailand would be worse off for letting every greedy farang do what they pleaset

Would they? Would there be huge voids between top earners and the bottom of the ladder people? There is lots of bragging about a burgeoning middle class in Thai Land, but there is little evidence of this. You will need to go outside of your Bangkok condo, and perhaps into the streets of Isaan, the south (further than Samui or Phuket) or south of Chiang Mai to see this. Those shiny new cars you see, are all on finance, with loans to borrowers far exceeding safe lending practices on their incomes. It is a systemic credit bubble which may one day cause the same issue China is now facing with bad creditors - the reason its' sharemarket is the worst performing in the whole of the APAC this year. Residential home price inflation in Thailand is among the highest in Asia, with perhaps only Beijing and Shanghai to compare it against. Every time I go back prices have gone up by 15-20%. This is major inflation in a very large chunk of Thai real estate values (not the number of houses, but the cumulative monetary value of all housing combined).

Growth of local markets through importation of labor, both skilled and unskilled (depending on the demands of the importer) can and does have positive affects on any country, unless those being imported fail to find work or generate sufficient revenue from their own businesses to exist without subsidization from the government. If the Russian tour companies were not here, if the Russian owned hotels were not here, the Russians probably would not be there either. Like them or not, they are among the highest arrival numbers in the Kingdom now and they are spending. Fighting against them does not seem to be working.

Perhaps it is time that Thailand started trying to understand their guests rather than fight against them, and work with those Russians coming. Ensuring Thai businesses were set up in Russia would ensure growth for Thai Land outside of its' own borders, which may last a lot longer than when the sun sets on its' own tourism market. Businesses in Russia partially owned by Thais catering to the importation of Russian forestry, minerals or other natural resources at fair market or discounted rates would see Thailand turn from a raw products exporter to a refined products exporter, which is what they have been trying to do for years. Would it not be more beneficial for Ms. Shinawatra to have a chat with Mr. Putin and see what "treaties" can be arranged? This would also strengthen Thailand's friendships outside of Asia and the United States, and give them more bargaining power against DPRC.

Edited April 6, 2013 by TheGhostWithin

[alex3t]

if I was a Russian tour operator I would remove phuket or Thailand as dream destination , what would be the lost if all Russian stopped to come to Thailand ? As it doesn't exist with other nationalities.

The problem is Thai dont speak russian and Russians tourists dont want speak in English

[david555]

This is the 3rd recent incident (off the top of my head) where a Russian person was unable (unwilling?) to produce a passport. How is it they get into the country in the first place?

or her passport is doing a visarun by itself at the moment

or "rented out " to an other " business" woman ......

Edited April 8, 2013 by david555

[webfact]

Russian tour company worker freed after proved legal
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- The Russian woman arrested for working illegally at a tour counter in Kata last week has been released after her company proved to Phuket police that she was legal.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/631816-russian-tour-company-worker-freed-after-proved-legal/

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