Russians in Pattaya

[KittenKong]

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

I certainly dont bother them and they dont bother me directly, but indirectly they push up prices for everything for everyone, and they also get in the way causing overcrowding in shops and restaurants and transport, as well as on the pavements and beaches.

Hordes of people of any nationality are just a pain in the backside.

[jmccarty]

I have lived in Pattaya since last year October and never had a problem with any particular nationality except maybe the wife. She gives me a hard time several times a week about wearing the wrong shirt, or ordering too much food, or other misdemeanours only she can see. Driving to fast, driving too slow, stop for the pedestrians, don't stop - there is no zebra crossing..

[Sigurris]

I posted this in another thread about Russians but it seems to be just as relevant here.

The Russian invasion looks very much like the British invasion of the Costa's in the 60's and 70's when working class Brits were able to travel abroad for the first time (without guns and tanks!). We were loud, rude and obnoxious. Ricky Gervais summed up the British abroad perfectly, " If you want something abroad ask for it clearly in English. If they don't understand ask for it again but louder. If they still don't understand, smash the place up safe in the knowledge that you tried!"

As many have said educated and richer Russians speak some English and are generally easy to deal with and polite. The new tourists who are travelling for the first time have come from a country where, up to 20 years ago, travel was restricted to the USSR. That meant Russian speaking countries. They were born into a country that was a superpower and educated to believe that Russia was everything. Then they come to Thailand!

Suddenly they are out of their depth, can't speak the language and are probably a bit intimidated. Add to that the generally perceived morose nature and lack of easy smiles and you have a recipe for a stereotype.

So lets give them a break. Who amongst us hasn't behaved badly in our lives. I expect the Russians who come a 2nd or 3rd time will be better able to handle the culture clash and will be seen to be different.

Now I am off to smash up the local mini mart because they don't understand the meaning of discombobulated.

[Gone]

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

I certainly dont bother them and they dont bother me directly, but indirectly they push up prices for everything for everyone, and they also get in the way causing overcrowding in shops and restaurants and transport, as well as on the pavements and beaches.

Hordes of people of any nationality are just a pain in the backside.

So you feel that the "Russians" only should all just leave Pattaya so we don't have all these people "Getting in the way" of our lives?

Maybe this thread didn't start out being racist but seems you have brung it to this level.

This is a tourist town and you cant just discriminate that foreigners of any type are disrupting "your" way of life. If you chose to live in Pattaya this is something YOU have to deal with or there is always Sakhon nowhere.

Yes kick all the Russians off the pavement, beaches, transport and shops !!!!!!!

[Jingthing]

The goal of the Pattaya powers that be is to have crowds of tourists. Period. They aren't overly picky. Clearly. So there will be crowds regardless. See my previous post about how a DOMINANCE by ANY group of foreign tourists is almost by definition undesirable unless you are in that group and like the bubble feeling abroad. The fact is the Russians are now dominant. I don't like it. But I wouldn't like it from ANY foreign group except Mexicans. I am prejudiced towards Mexicans in a POSITIVE way. So sue me!

Edited August 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[balo]

I agree that the Russian invasion is very much like what happened in Europe back in the 70's

I still remember as a kid when I went with my Norwegian family for the first time on a charter trip to Spain in 1976 , it was cheap and we enjoyed the beaches and sun.

Looking at some of the Russian families here is like going back in a time machine , they even wear some of the silly shirts we used.

Edited August 14, 2013 by balo

[manly100]

Can you imagine if a nasty disease that only affected Russians wiped them all out? where would we get our misery from?

[Jingthing]

Can you imagine if a nasty disease that only affected Russians wiped them all out? where would we get our misery from?

That's too twisted to like.

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[MB1]

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.

Your not tarring all Brits with the same brush are you, bit childish IMO if you are, you get a bad element of people from all walks of life but the bad ones are normally in the minority.

As for the Russians, their catching up to the cheap package holidays that the Brits had in the 70's and 80's, didnt the Brits invade Spain and other places wanting heinz baked beans, chips, HP sauce and sarsons vinegar to go with their fish and chips... .

Most of the Russians have probably never been out of Russia and probably don't have a clue how to behave when abroad on their package holiday, give em a chance and in time maybe they will learn how to adapt and behave whilst abroad..

Some Russians I have met seem quite well behaved and polite to me, but the only ones I have ever talked to are the ones who speak English, I no comprehend Russian and I'd say the language barrier is a big problem for all Nationalities...

As for those complaining about menus being in Russian language and food choice, well being as there are many more Russians visiting Thailand every year it's only fair to say that buisnesses are adapting to the new customers and what the customer wants, only fair IMO...

Edited August 14, 2013 by MB1

[KittenKong]

So you feel that the "Russians" only should all just leave Pattaya so we don't have all these people "Getting in the way" of our lives?

Maybe this thread didn't start out being racist but seems you have brung it to this level.

This is a tourist town and you cant just discriminate that foreigners of any type are disrupting "your" way of life. If you chose to live in Pattaya this is something YOU have to deal with or there is always Sakhon nowhere.

Yes kick all the Russians off the pavement, beaches, transport and shops !!!!!!!

I dont dislike Russians particularly except in as much as they are far and away the most numerous group of people I see from day to day. I could say "get rid of the Germans" or "get rid of the Jews", but where I am there arent enough of them to notice. Get rid of the Russians and you halve the population of Pattaya at a stroke, and that sounds like a good move to me.

I was here decades before the Russians first arrived and so I think that does indeed give me the right to bitch about them if I like. Not that I expect said bitching to do any good, but I do think that one day they may well all disappear just as quickly as they arrived.

And I certainly dont rule out leaving myself. In fact I'm fairly sure that I will not still be living here in a few years time, unless there is a significant drop in tourist numbers. It will be just too unpleasant.

[KittenKong]

Can you imagine if a nasty disease that only affected Russians wiped them all out? where would we get our misery from?

Dont worry. There are loads of contenders just waiting in the wings.

[Phil Conners]

Maybe your just in the wrong place. I rarely see any Russians here on the dark side.

[mataleo]

i just wonder why its so popular destination for ruskies?

why pattaya?

[lovetotravel]

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.

If you've spent much time in China, you might reconsider your desire for more Chinese tourists! The spitting gets old quickly.

[KittenKong]

Maybe your just in the wrong place. I rarely see any Russians here on the dark side.

I live right by the beach and I think that most Russians seem to like being near the beach also. It makes sense because most of them are here short-term or medium-term, and anyway the number one attraction here for most Russians is probably that the sea water isnt frozen or 2000 miles away. So it you like the sea then it makes sense to be within walking distance of it.

I go to the darkside once a week for Sunday lunch, and occasionally at other times, and whilst the population there is made up much more of long-term retired or semi-retired Brits and Germans and Scandinavians, there are some Russians. I've seen quite a few in Huay Yai also, and Bang Saray and Ban Chang and beyond Rayong. They go to Chiang Mai also but in much smaller numbers, presumably because of the lack of beaches.

[smooth expat]

I don't know about you guys but I think I'm noticing more Chinese around. I think I notice a little less Russians now.

[Jingthing]

I don't know about you guys but I think I'm noticing more Chinese around. I think I notice a little less Russians now.

I don't count the in and out bus tour groups, you see many of course on walking street tours, going to the islands, etc. I don't think such groups, yes, largely Chinese do very much at all to change the FLAVOR of the city. The traffic, yes. On the baht buses, on the streets walking independently, at the malls, not very many Chinese compared to Russians.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Jingthing

[Sigurris]

I don't know about you guys but I think I'm noticing more Chinese around. I think I notice a little less Russians now.

I don't count the in and out bus tour groups, you see many of course on walking street tours, going to the islands, etc. I don't think such groups, yes, largely Chinese do very much at all to change the FLAVOR of the city. The traffic, yes. On the baht buses, on the streets walking independently, at the malls, not very many Chinese compared to Russians.

Despite its affluence and move towards Capitalism, China is still a one party state and visas to leave the country are still hard to get for the average Chinese unless they go on organised tours. Therefore you will normally see Chinese tourists in tour groups being herded from one destination to the next guarded by tour guides. So they have little freedom unlike Russian tourists and consequently do not "impinge" on the normal way of life of Pattaya. But their numbers are similar.

If China ever opens its doors like Russia then you would see a real difference. Spitoons would be in every restaurant!

[Jingthing]

We could do worse if half the Russian restaurants in town became GOOD Chinese restaurants ...

[KittenKong]

I don't know about you guys but I think I'm noticing more Chinese around.

You probably notice them because they all walk around single file in just one group, carrying little flags.

[tropo]

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.

They have good taste, is the obvious answer.

[NanLaew]

i just wonder why its so popular destination for ruskies?

why pattaya?

See post 22

U-tapao airport and charter flights.