The Russian invasion of Thailand....

[Chittychangchang]

What visas do Russians get for Thailand?

Is the law different for them in Thailand?

Is the Thai mentality similar to that of the average Russian?

Why is Thailand the number 1 hotspot for Russians?

What do Thai people think about Russians in general??

What is the future for Thai/Russian relations?

Does the number of Russians in Thailand bother you?

Interested to know members views and experiences .

Regards

CCC

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I worked in Moscow two years 1994-'96, it's cold and dreary much of the year. Even then there were lots of ads in the papers for tours to Phuket and Pattaya, and some chartered flights.

These days there's just a lot more $$$ available in Russia, so more flights and more people making the Snowbird run.

Mac

[Heng]

One major advantage they have is that they often migrate here as family units, so there aren't much of those: she sold my house from under me / can I get a usefruct / rent your house from your wife / is he really her brother? / my inlaws have moved in / etc. type falang immigrant hurdles.

[theblether]

I'd rather be challenging Russians for a space on the beach than head to head over the Iron Curtain.

That's the primary problem here, too many people are still fighting the Cold War in their minds.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

Agreed. I have absolutely no issue with the Russian professional class. Unfortunately like the British and many other nationalities the ones who seem to have the cash to settle here are so rarely of the professional class

[stoneyboy]

I like them,they are only doing what many other nations have done before them,they have cash on the hip and want to travel and see the world.

They have as much right as the next person to be here or anywhere for that matter.

It's not only Thailand they flock to they can be found in the most inconspicuous places like Bulgaria,Crete and Corfu to name but a few.

I've seen a few in Blackpool also.

za vashe zdorovye'.

[krisb]

How many times do you have to see drunk tourists of any nationality before you've had enough? I think the Thais are generally very patient people when it comes to the tourist masses. I only ever see Russians in Bkk airport, they havnt discovered Issan. Yet.

[maprao]

Agreed. I have absolutely no issue with the Russian professional class. Unfortunately like the British and many other nationalities the ones who seem to have the cash to settle here are so rarely of the professional class

I think I know what you mean but lets face it UK professionals ie doctors lawyers etc have no wish to retire here. People come here to live a better life when retired that is pension less than £15pa; money goes further. If it is sun they want and not girls sorry temples then they head for the south of France Spain Florida etc. There is a general perception that people who retire well....nuf said

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Om85]

Russians are cool, I dont see whats the problem with them, and the chicks are super hot I mean I had almost forgot my russian, but since I came to Thailand it has been very useful specially when you get tired of Thai flesh I just dont understand why so many posters are talking all the time about russians and aparently dislike them so much. Russians come here bcuz they dont need visa, the weather is cool and is cheap, more or less the same reasons why other europeans come, and mostly Thai tourist come in family trips, so there is plenty of russian chicks around and I like it

[MobileContent]

I don't see any Russian invasions. Last year 1.3 million Russian tourists (Population 145 million) visited Thailand compared to almost 930,000 Australian's out of a population of around 22 million. I am not sure how many Japanese visited last year Thailand but in 2011 it was over a million.

Tourists numbers from Asia will be the biggest money earners such as from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and of course Russia.

[Hawkman]

I've never had a problem myself, the ones I've met have been cool (apart from one drunk idiot who was hassling some girls and trying to start a fight, but I see many of my fellow Brits do the same).

However, I have known of locals and some other farang to speak very lowly of them in tourist areas.

You get bad apples everywhere, but I do hear certain places are sick of them, I guess it's certain ones being unable to socially interact with other people like other nationalities do. I could be wrong but that's what I hear.

Let's face it, nationalities do have their stereotypes, loud Americans, drunk, full of it, Brits, arrogant, pompous French, neanderthal Aussies, irritating Isrealis, rude Russians and you do meet these stereotypes here, I sure have; but most of the time, these people are quite sound; it's just that farangs in general are either total prats here or great people.

[PaullyW]

I say that as humans they have the same rights to enjoy Thailand that others have.

I don't have any personal experiences with Russians in Thailand, but I have worked in Russia for 6 months in the past.

My brief impression is that on average Russians are probably as brute and poorly educated and rugged as any Whites in any country. Russia is also a throughly corrupt place. In these things, I would say that I welcome Russians (in controlled numbers) ad they are, on average, the closest we falang have to anything resembling a Thai.

It's good for the Thais to known that we too have some rough ones. We're not all prissy falangs with no spine, murdered in droves without putting up any sort of fight.

[Sigurris]

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.

[krisb]

I've never had a problem myself, the ones I've met have been cool (apart from one drunk idiot who was hassling some girls and trying to start a fight, but I see many of my fellow Brits do the same).

 

However, I have known of locals and some other farang to speak very lowly of them in tourist areas.

 

You get bad apples everywhere, but I do hear certain places are sick of them, I guess it's certain ones being unable to socially interact with other people like other nationalities do.  I could be wrong but that's what I hear.

 

Let's face it, nationalities do have their stereotypes, loud Americans, drunk, full of it, Brits, arrogant, pompous French, neanderthal Aussies, irritating Isrealis, rude Russians and you do meet these stereotypes here, I sure have; but most of the time, these people are quite sound; it's just that farangs in general are either total prats here or great people.

Neanderthal Aussies huh?

What country are you from?

Apology please.

[amykat]

It's good for the Thais to known that we too have some rough ones. We're not all prissy falangs with no spine, murdered in droves without putting up any sort of fight.

Let me guess ....you aren't talking about Rwanda are you??

What a horrible and obnoxious thing to say! Just thought you would throw that in here, having nothing to do with the subject, or the fact that zero Thai people seem to know about this particular subject, so your point is also pointless.

I always have to wonder about people who make such kind of comments about people that suffered such a horrific, sad, evil, tragedy.

[farang000999]

Take a look at a map. Where else would the Russian middle class that cannot afford Southern Europe go for sun and sand?

[farang000999]

It's good for the Thais to known that we too have some rough ones. We're not all prissy falangs with no spine, murdered in droves without putting up any sort of fight.

Let me guess ....you aren't talking about Rwanda are you??

What a horrible and obnoxious thing to say! Just thought you would throw that in here, having nothing to do with the subject, or the fact that zero Thai people seem to know about this particular subject, so your point is also pointless.

I always have to wonder about people who make such kind of comments about people that suffered such a horrific, sad, evil, tragedy.

How did you read his comments and associate it to"Rwanda"? That is a very strange interpretation. You are an odd lady.

[amykat]

Hi Farang000999,

I was joking, being sarcastic ...and I think I said he was NOT talking about Rwanda.

Or maybe you have some other idea about what his post really means, than the idea I have??

I think I am not so odd, but thanks for saying so!!

[farang000999]

One major advantage they have is that they often migrate here as family units, so there aren't much of those: she sold my house from under me / can I get a usefruct / rent your house from your wife / is he really her brother? / my inlaws have moved in / etc. type falang immigrant hurdles.

Imho. Farang coming to Thailand from Aussie, USA, Canada, Europe are more than likely doing so because they are interested in the temples not because they want sun and sand. Why would an American or Canadian come all the way to Thailand for sun and sand? So for the Russians geographically, you have more of them not as interested in temples and thus more likely to move to Thailand as a family unit.

[farang000999]

Hi Farang000999,

I was joking, being sarcastic ...and I think I said he was NOT talking about Rwanda.

Or maybe you have some other idea about what his post really means, than the idea I have??

I think I am not so odd, but thanks for saying so!!

He is saying that Russians are rougher and less easier to be cheated or taken advantage of as compared to American/Sweedish/Finish/British/Canadian etc and maybe the Thais will think twice about trying to cheat/murder/kill farang if they see that not all of us are a bunch of scaredy cats.

Think of it this way. Let's say you had to step on someones shoes and spill a drink on them and you could pick the nationality of the person. Would you rather that person be Swiss or Russian? Who is less likely to break your nose? Japanese or Thai? Canadian or Nigerian?

I think that was his point.

[samran]

feeling threatened, much?

[simple1]

Take a look at a map. Where else would the Russian middle class that cannot afford Southern Europe go for sun and sand?

Plenty go to Sri Lanka & Vietnam

[amykat]

Yes, Farang000999 ...I agree that was his point, but the line about "spineless people murdered in droves without putting up a fight" is a special insult/comment often said about Jews and the gas chambers, etc.

I guess you haven't come across that, so lucky you ...unfortunately I have heard/read it.

[farang000999]

feeling threatened, much?

No.

[MrWorldwide]

2013 and some of us are still seeing Reds under the Bed ? I spend no more time thinking about the Russians when I'm in Pattaya than I do thinking about the Arabs on lower Suk - they are all just part of a crowd that I work very hard to avoid, but they could just as easily be the Christmas shopping crowd in Sydney or Melbourne for all the thought I give to their individual motives.

[samran]

2013 and some of us are still seeing Reds under the Bed ? I spend no more time thinking about the Russians when I'm in Pattaya than I do thinking about the Arabs on lower Suk - they are all just part of a crowd that I work very hard to avoid, but they could just as easily be the Christmas shopping crowd in Sydney or Melbourne for all the thought I give to their individual motives.

Quite enjoy the Arab influx on lower Sukhumvit.The only real reason to visit the area. Terrific food.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

Agreed. I have absolutely no issue with the Russian professional class. Unfortunately like the British and many other nationalities the ones who seem to have the cash to settle here are so rarely of the professional class

I think I know what you mean but lets face it UK professionals ie doctors lawyers etc have no wish to retire here. People come here to live a better life when retired that is pension less than £15pa; money goes further. If it is sun they want and not girls sorry temples then they head for the south of France Spain Florida etc. There is a general perception that people who retire well....nuf said

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

who is talking about retirement?

those who chose to retire here are a whole different can o' worms which i have no desire to broach.

Edited August 14, 2013 by GirlDrinkDrunk

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

2013 and some of us are still seeing Reds under the Bed ? I spend no more time thinking about the Russians when I'm in Pattaya than I do thinking about the Arabs on lower Suk - they are all just part of a crowd that I work very hard to avoid, but they could just as easily be the Christmas shopping crowd in Sydney or Melbourne for all the thought I give to their individual motives.

Quite enjoy the Arab influx on lower Sukhumvit.The only real reason to visit the area. Terrific food.

i agree, right outside my door in a manner of speaking.

i do wish they would learn how to top up their own mobile phones though, especially at 11:55 pm at 7-11 when i am trying to buy booze

[Chittychangchang]

Russians are cool, I dont see whats the problem with them, and the chicks are super hot I mean I had almost forgot my russian, but since I came to Thailand it has been very useful specially when you get tired of Thai flesh I just dont understand why so many posters are talking all the time about russians and aparently dislike them so much. Russians come here bcuz they dont need visa, the weather is cool and is cheap, more or less the same reasons why other europeans come, and mostly Thai tourist come in family trips, so there is plenty of russian chicks around and I like it

Russians don't need a visa?

Is this hearsay ?

Can you confirm this fact?

CCC

[ThaidDown]

Visitors holding Russia Federation Passports get 30 day visa exempt entry into Thailand both by air and land crossings.