Russians in Pattaya

[homeownership]

This is not a racist thread before the band come out to play.

I usually hang out in either Hua Hin or my home in Chiang Mai, but I am currently in Pattaya.

I first came to Pattaya in 2007 and loved it, full of developments and optimism, the financial crash back home in the UK had yet to happen and this place was buzzing.

I returned back here in 2010 and noticed since my previous visit that a lot of Russians were holidaying here and thought why not, this is as good a place to unwind as Odessa.

Now another 3 years later, rhe place has changed a lot. Menus, signs, are now in Russian, sometimes not even in English or Thai.

Every other person you see here is Russian, Russian food, Russian deals on apartments. Russians coming in through the bathroom window. I am seeing Russians everywhere.

This for me thinking, Pattaya started out as a sleep village down the road from the Naval port of Bang Na and GI used it for their R & R time. Later Europeans of all flavours came and used Pattaya for sex tourism.

Now rhe Russians man of which are young couples are coming here to relax, not take part in the sex industry, has Pattaya evolved out of the sleeze game become in maybe another 3 years like Blackpool or Miami Beach.

Just a thought, woud love to know what others thought.

[JimmyTheMook]

Russians monger, keep your eyes open.

[Jingthing]

I think any one group of foreigners that DOMINATES the city changes the flavor of the city to their tastes. Russia is a fine taste. But BALANCED diversity is much better. The domination of the Russians here is diluting the overall diversity. That's a negative for pretty much everyone except Russians who enjoy being in a market dominated by them, and face it, they clearly do, and you can't really blame them. But ... I wish some other group would grow RAPIDLY to balance this out more, perhaps Chinese.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jay Sata]

I've not been there for years but it always struck me as strange that the local police allowed Russians to run a Go-Go bar with Russians/eastern European dancers halfway down Walking St.

To me the place is like Dodge City or Tombstone circa 1870 and best avoided.

A certain well know UK journalist has an ongoing expose of some of the farang sharks working in that city.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Jay Sata

[IrishIvan]

I've not been there for years but it always struck me as strange that the local police allowed Russians to run a Go-Go bar with Russians/eastern European dancers halfway down Walking St.

 

To me the place is like Dodge City or Tombstone circa 1870 and best avoided.

 

A certain well know UK journalist has an ongoing expose of some of the farang sharks working in that city.

I always found the Russian dancers odd too. For starters wouldnt the local women get angry about it?

[bangkokstick]

Luckily we will be invaded by cute fair skin Chinese girls soon !!!

[arthurwait]

I've not been there for years but it always struck me as strange that the local police allowed Russians to run a Go-Go bar with Russians/eastern European dancers halfway down Walking St.

To me the place is like Dodge City or Tombstone circa 1870 and best avoided.

A certain well know UK journalist has an ongoing expose of some of the farang sharks working in that city.

I always found the Russian dancers odd too. For starters wouldnt the local women get angry about it?

There's local women in Pattaya ?

[PaullyW]

Luckily we will be invaded by cute fair skin Chinese girls soon !!!

Slow chant - "PRC PRC PRC". Best girls in the world.

[Jingthing]

Luckily we will be invaded by cute fair skin Chinese girls soon !!!

Slow chant - "PRC PRC PRC". Best girls in the world.

Sure, why not, but please bring some good Chinese restaurants along as well!

[mogandave]

Anything that starts out: "This is not a racist..."

[Jingthing]

Anything that starts out: "This is not a racist..."

Fair point, but Russian is not a race.

[hanno]

I think any one group of foreigners that DOMINATES the city changes the flavor of the city to their tastes. Russia is a fine taste. But BALANCED diversity is much better. The domination of the Russians here is diluting the overall diversity. That's a negative for pretty much everyone except Russians who enjoy being in a market dominated by them, and face it, they clearly do, and you can't really blame them. But ... I wish some other group would grow RAPIDLY to balance this out more, perhaps Chinese.

Totally agree.

I worked in a resort town in Vietnam that is totally dominated by one nationality. To the extent that it is difficult for anyone else to get a menu in English or Vietnamese. One reason I left......

[nong38]

This resonates, I first came in 2008, loved Patters then but it has changed for sure. More and more Russians everywhere, menus, yes condo sales as well, am I glad I never bought one, you never know who your nieghbours are till you move in, but now you have pretty good idea if the sales stuff is all in Russian.

My overall impression is that they dont seem to smile a lot, dont haggle, just pay up and so our cost of living as gone up as result. Going over to Koh Lan on the ferry, they have to be first off show little consideration for others, some might call it rudeness but thats seems to be in their culture. They have changed the place from what I observe and to my mind not for the better.

[WitawatWatawit]

Have Russian neighbours (mother and daughter) in my mooban. Lovely people. Can't say the same for the other Russians there, though. Grim, unfriendly - even at the swimming pool when you try to start up a conversation. But c'est la vie. Can't change it, so no point in getting upset. Lots of other nice people around.

[gk10002000]

While I understand the desire for some things from home, while away from home, I certainly don't want to see American dancers over in thailand. Goodness. I could save the plane fair and stay in the USA. I go to Thailand to see Thais.

Do those "European" dancers have work permits and the appropriate visas? Are the immigration authorities saying their dancing skills are so unique that no Thais could do it?

[gk10002000]

Very minimal Russian presence when I first visited Pattaya in 2004. After Thailand greatly liberalized the visa policy towards Russia there has been a huge increase in Russians.

What I just saw was odd. I was on the news forum of Thaivisa and on the right side of the webpage, powered by google ad sense I think, was some advertisement about meeting Russian/Ukraine women and it had a handful of photos. enough is enough!

[hansnl]

I've not been there for years but it always struck me as strange that the local police allowed Russians to run a Go-Go bar with Russians/eastern European dancers halfway down Walking St.

To me the place is like Dodge City or Tombstone circa 1870 and best avoided.

A certain well know UK journalist has an ongoing expose of some of the farang sharks working in that city.

I always found the Russian dancers odd too. For starters wouldnt the local women get angry about it?

There's local women in Pattaya ?

Local, as in Thailand!

[anon8]

I was on the news forum of Thaivisa and on the right side of the webpage, powered by google ad sense I think, was some advertisement about meeting Russian/Ukraine women and it had a handful of photos. enough is enough!

its just an ad, you don't have to meet them if you really don't want to

[nong38]

They really live in a world of their own, from what I have seen its not my world but why dont they settle in Phuket? Why Patters? Or is that to simple a question, if they would hold out the hand I would shake it.

[thrilled]

Hoping Russians don't ruin the city.Pattaya can be a lot of fun. As long as some restaurants keep selling western type food ok. I don't know what Russians eat

[Suradit69]

They really live in a world of their own, from what I have seen its not my world but why dont they settle in Phuket? Why Patters? Or is that to simple a question, if they would hold out the hand I would shake it.

It's economics. Now that Russians have the money, they want to spend it (or hide it in real estate) somewhere. They tried putting it in Cypriot banks until the freedom loving Europeans told them they would "tax" those bank accounts 50% and freeze them because Europe was sinking faster than the Titanic. Also they seem to all enjoy travelling to Pattaya to sort through the used clothing at the market on Pattaya Tai. Sort of a Niche Travel market attraction.

There's more Indians and Chinese than there were many years ago too because they have more money to spend seeing the world and of course Pattaya is on everyone's Bucket List. Everyone back home is looking forward to snapshots of European and American tourists doing obscene things on the Pattaya Beach front late at night but the local newspapers always blur the good parts.

There used to be more Japanese until their economy started sinking and the Yen hit the skids. Maybe fewer Germans or Scandinavians. Hard to tell for those of us who don't really care one way or the other.

Maybe if they strike oil in Chad or Kim Jong Un decides to go the capitalistic route we'll see a lot more Chadians and North Koreans agog on Walking Street.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Suradit69

[NanLaew]

They really live in a world of their own, from what I have seen its not my world but why dont they settle in Phuket? Why Patters? Or is that to simple a question, if they would hold out the hand I would shake it.

A few years ago, the greater amount of Russian visitors came by Russian charter flights via U-tapao airport and not via Suvarnabhumi. U-tapao is about 40 minutes from Pattaya, to the south. Therefore the first arrivals mostly bypassed Bangkok and any airport with onward connections to other destinations. Admittedly, Bangkok Airways serviced Samui from U-tapao but they are expensive (compared to the charter flight from Russia). Now that the Russian international tourist travel market is a bit more mature, there are at least 3 Russian carriers that serve BKK airport fully and a new motorway extension (and hundreds of dedicated tour buses) that take them directly to Pattaya.

For those that claim to hate the Russians so much (I don't), I guess you can only hope that they move on from Pattaya, their primary toe-hold in LOS and pitch their tents elsewhere. Before I left Udon Thani, it wasn't unusual to spot at least a couple if Russian families shopping in the mall or in the market.

[stoli]

I've not been there for years but it always struck me as strange that the local police allowed Russians to run a Go-Go bar with Russians/eastern European dancers halfway down Walking St.

To me the place is like Dodge City or Tombstone circa 1870 and best avoided.

A certain well know UK journalist has an ongoing expose of some of the farang sharks working in that city.

I always found the Russian dancers odd too. For starters wouldnt the local women get angry about it?

There's local women in Pattaya ?

Never having been in Issan, yet, I have always wondered if the beer bar girls there were from Pattaya? Life does balance itself out, correct?

[Benmart]

I've been coming to P-Town since 1993 and now live here. The dominant nationalities seem to be those with strong economies which runs in cycles.

The Russians I have spoken to comment on their own people's unfriendliness and inward personalities. They have suggested that it is a cultural leftover from the Soviet Era where you were suspicious of social contacts.

I smile when I meet them on the street and often times I'm met with a smile. They are just looking for an inexpensive, relaxing holiday as are most others.

Their numbers have increased, but I really can't comment if they have actually driven up the staples of life such as food and basic accommodation. Condo sales are another topic altogether which has been bandied around on other threads.

"Live and let live"

[Bodrules]

Been to Moscow a few times, so has a bloke I work with, and the Russians have always been a good laugh. Mate of mine got dragged into a nightclub when h was in Moscow, didn't pay for a drink all night, sat in the 'VIP' area etc...He thought that it was some sort of mafia run goon joint and that the bill would be served up with a 9mm enforcement device - but one of the staff told him that he was there to give the club some 'cache' as no one knew who he was, the bloody bouncers were saying some famous angliski was inside etc So now chilled out, he then set out to get totally hammered and I can report mission was achieved - they even got him into a cab and dropped off back at his hotel - jammy git always does land on his feet.

[guzzi850m2]

I've been coming to P-Town since 1993 and now live here. The dominant nationalities seem to be those with strong economies which runs in cycles.

The Russians I have spoken to comment on their own people's unfriendliness and inward personalities. They have suggested that it is a cultural leftover from the Soviet Era where you were suspicious of social contacts.

I smile when I meet them on the street and often times I'm met with a smile. They are just looking for an inexpensive, relaxing holiday as are most others.

Their numbers have increased, but I really can't comment if they have actually driven up the staples of life such as food and basic accommodation. Condo sales are another topic altogether which has been bandied around on other threads.

"Live and let live"

Agreed, they come here for the sun and the beaches like we already did in the 80's.

If you see a young couple both burned red from the sun, you know it's Russian's just arrived a couple of days ago and badly underestimated the power of tropical sun, he-he.

No wonder they are keen to travel now they finally have the chance, the Russian's had it tough during the communist regime, no traveling (unless KGB), no cars for most, only cheap vodka.

[luckyluke]

Not a big difference for me personally, I don't understand Russian, but it's also very difficult for me to understand the English spoken by many Englishmen here, however they seems to understand my English.

[KittenKong]

..... why dont they settle in Phuket? Why Patters?

They do. Phuket is full of Russians too (and they are more than welcome to it; I wouldn't go there if you paid me to). I dont think there is a single destination in Thailand that doesn't have a significant Russian population.

Personally I just hope that one day they will all disappear just as quickly as they arrived.

[Gone]

I don't bother them and they don't bother me so makes no difference to me.

[fakename]

As they say, "what goes around, comes around". The Russians are just giving some "pay-back" to the gangs of British thugs, that roam around most tourist areas in Europe. From Ibiza to the Baltic, singing their stupid football songs, being drunk and obnoxious, fighting with anyone that comes their way.

Maybe the Russians just need time to learn, since they have been locked away in the Soviet state for so long.