Russian tourism group threatens Thailand boycott

[tonysilly]

Help me out. I speak to many people in Thailand and they all hate the Russians. So it's not about the money, it's the attitude they have about life. For some reasons they think they are above the law, that's why they hang out and live in big groups.

[eurozhongguo]

So, are the Russians saying Vietnam's roads as safer tghan Thailand's. Next, they will be saying that China's roads are the safest in the world.

Generally speaking, it is safer to self-drive in Thailand.

[JHenry]

Help me out. I speak to many people in Thailand and they all hate the Russians. So it's not about the money, it's the attitude they have about life. For some reasons they think they are above the law, that's why they hang out and live in big groups.

With how many people exactly did you speak? By the way, all of them hate you too.

[wooly]

I think a lot of the prejudiced comments against Russian tourists/residents in Thailand; and the hope that they will carry out their boycott threat, are in part based on, and supported by, the number of criminal activities they seem to be involved in here. This coupled with an unfortunate propensity to be aggressive when drunk, and that they are not exactly big-spenders - re-stocking their room fridges from the supermarket etc. does tend to influence attitudes against them.

Actually not the kind of tourist any country would want - I would have thought.

[truckerjoe]

The problem is most bus and truck drivers in Thailand have no real training, when I was trained to drive buses It was over a three week period in which I drove a double deck bus for at least 2 hours a day under the strict supervision of a ministry of transport trained supervisor, the vehicle had an old style crash gearbox, (double clutch) on the test I had to change through the gears to 5th and back down again to first without grinding a gear (difficult when between each gear I had to use my right hand to signal out of the window that i was slowing down). when I passed my test, all the training stood me in good stead and I had an accident free few years behind the wheel of buses and coaches

,I had to go through it all again when I got my licence for 8 wheel tippers (class 2) and again for my class 1, I spent many hour practicing reversing trailers into tight parking spaces between trailers until I had it perfected, that training I paid for and it cost me thousands, then on the road we have to use an electronic data card which records our speeds, driving periods and rest periods, this data is held by the company in case it needs to be checked by police or transport officials, and all trucks are governed to a max speed of 56 miles per hour, now there is a shortage of class 1 drivers because of the difficulty and cost of training and the strong rules, on the upside of course the industry is much safer.

Thai Transport drivers are sometimes behind the wheel for up to 18 hours a day, and often rely on amphetamines to stay awake. they seem to have no speed restriction on their vehicles, and have not been told of the dangers of tailgating or cornering fast with over 40 tons pushing behind them.

If Thailand introduce similar rules to the USA, Europe and Australia they will experience a huge shortage of drivers and the government doesn't even want to contemplate this!

Perhaps each tour bus passenger could be issued with a powerful amulet similar to the ones worn by the drivers!

[Rorri]

That's ripe...Russians complaining about safety! I guess they prefer it when they drink themselves silly and cause the accidents.

yeah you right , aussies , brits and other nationalities dont drink and drive ..... where are you from by the way ?

Did mangi1 actually say no other nations drink or cause accidents?...No! he didn't. So your comment is ridiculous.

[hanno]

This is all so much blahblah. They will never boycott Thailand as it is the easiest, and cheapest country, for those among them seeking sun, sand, and sex. Where else are they going to go? Cambodia does not have the infrastructure, Vietnam does not have anything like "walking street", forget Laos and Cambodia. That pretty much leaves only the Philippines.....

[Pattaya28]

Limp threat.

The Russians will keep coming.

What are their alternatives ?

They want their cake and to eat it.

[stickylies]

re-stocking their room fridges from the supermarket etc

i call that smart and do exactly the same thing.

i *borrow* the drinks in the fridge.

[stickylies]

Help me out. I speak to many people in Thailand and they all hate the Russians. So it's not about the money, it's the attitude they have about life. For some reasons they think they are above the law, that's why they hang out and live in big groups.

lemme guess, u live in phuket or pattaya? i also speak with many people in thailand and they have never actually met a russian and wouldn't know the difference between a russian or an american.

[zydeco]

Help me out. I speak to many people in Thailand and they all hate the Russians. So it's not about the money, it's the attitude they have about life. For some reasons they think they are above the law, that's why they hang out and live in big groups.

lemme guess, u live in phuket or pattaya? i also speak with many people in thailand and they have never actually met a russian and wouldn't know the difference between a russian or an american.

Ask the people who work in 7-11s. They know the difference.

[biplanebluey]

This is one boycott that I fully support. Long may it continue.

Yep---me too----- I only hope that a lot of other tourist agencies o;seas get the message and follow suit.Sure could be a wake up call to Thailand----and about time------- Dougal

[Jim walker]

Stupid foreigners what do they know about safety on the road or rail or even safety at sea for that, we Thais know what is best for the foreigners so they enjoy their stay in Thailand and the happy memories of Thailand road sea journeys will last a life time.

[Jim walker]

They could just divert the Russian planes to Cambodia some lovely temples to visit near the Thai border, might have to walk a little bit from the bus as the car park is full of Thai tanks at the moment.

[chaiyapoon]

I am back in thailand for the first time in years and have seen the russians at first hand as they are staying in big numbers in a hotel nearby most don't speak any english and are family groups and couples of all ages.They seem just like everyone else out buying the same as the rest of us.I have meet them in the massage shop next door and see them at close hand for an hour or longer at a time.These are pleasant normal tourists and it would be these people that will be not coming under any boycott.The mafia types will still come.

[Scott]

Posts with remarks inside the quote have been removed as well as racist posts and replies.

[harleyclarkey]

For decades Europeans, Aussies, Americans came in their droved to Thailand and got ripped off, cheated, killed, injured and not a word from anyone.

The Chinese and the Russians have got their acts together in an instant and told the Thais to shape up or they will ship out.

And we sometimes wonder why these two countries are surging ahead while the west stumbles on?

[JackJD]

Gosh, I will miss those agressive, obese, obnoxious louod mouths! It's such a fun game trying to avoid them!

[bunuel]

As previously noted, urban centers in Thailand are neither designed or equipped to handle mass tourism of any kind , so this result was sadly predictable. Am impressed that Russians are objecting like this, and am hoping they follow through with their threat and take their business elsewhere.

Greed will always kill the fatted calf, as they say in the Caribbean!

uote name="WinnieTheKhwai" post="7062631" timestamp="1384988864"]

Russian Tourism Group Threatens Thailand Boycott

You don't normally open up Thaivisa.com expecting to find good news, but, my goodness.. Jackpot this morning!

[Jackson86]

I seldom interact with Russians, not sure about them, but if they wanna boycott Thailand, by all means. At least they don't get to bully Thai girls anymore.

[paddyjenkins]

i am sure most are nice enough once you break the ice...the trouble is just that there are too damn many and they are loud mouthed...so please boycott away

Edited November 21, 2013 by paddyjenkins

[Tchooptip]

I've said elsewhere - Thailand is now a mainstream holiday destination and needs to realise this and act accordingly. It still treats visitors as if they are the soldiers and backpackers who first came hear in the 60s and 70s.

They need to put in place the appropriate infrastructure to deal with the vast numbers of visitors. This is big money - 7% of the nation's economy.

So much about tourism in Thailand is all face and no substance......The transport system needs overhauling and regulating from a safety aspect and all aspects of customer service need to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

As Thailand increasingly gets a reputation as a shoddy or dangerous destination it will suffer in the long run.

Ill-informed ministers keep mumbling on about going up-market - presumably in the hope that this will eradicate a lot of the bad publicity - crime, danger, poor service etc - but what hope can there ever be of that with the industry still virtually unregulated and everyone scrabbling for the bottom dollar?

Most of the primary roads are fairly well maintained (there are exceptions). But the quality of the roads pale in comparison to the abject reckless stupidity of the drivers, and the complete lack of traffic enforcement by the Thai government (road blocks don't stop dangerous driving). They need traffic cops in patrol cars and they need to learn how to stop vehicles for moving violations. Then start citing Thai drivers for: speeding, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the street, failure to stop, failure to yield, failure to maintain the driving lane, and other stupid reckless driving that drivers are now allowed to get away with, but would get you a citation in less than about 15 minutes in a Western country.

but would get you a citation in less than about 15 minutes in a Western country.

Yessss and that is one of the good reasons for me to live here Viva la libertad Viva Thailand

Yes, it is nice to have the freedom and liberty to die or be maimed on the public roadways. Freedom and liberty is tempered and well served by adherence to the basic laws of public safety IMO.

Live Long and Prosper my Friend.

Amen

PS: By the way I do not need a police officer behind each corner to be respectful of the laws to drive my car not only respecting the signs and the traffic code but also driving it like a gentleman, I also wear a helmet on my motorbike

I am almost a teetotal (nobody's perfect) so no danger for my drinking/driving ! Then I repeat without the smallest sense of guilt

Viva la libertad Viva Thailand

[Tchooptip]

I am shocked reading the comments from people hoping the Russians stop coming. If they don't come then local people will lose their jobs in hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and construction sites

The Russians come in huge numbers and spend money, unlike I would imagine the majority of other nationalities, including people on this site, who came here for sex.

Hilarious! Thanks for making my day!

You too

[marios]

Please, please, dear Russians, do boycott Thailand.

Why do you say that? Is it the Russians alone or the wish extends to all tourists?

[Patje]

The Thai answer to the Russians could be , hey ass***es, wath the linked video !!!

[ThaiSydGuy]

Now how do we get all the Russians already here to leave?.......

[ThaiSydGuy]

I am shocked reading the comments from people hoping the Russians stop coming. If they don't come then local people will lose their jobs in hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and construction sites

The Russians come in huge numbers and spend money, unlike I would imagine the majority of other nationalities, including people on this site, who came here for sex.

Hilarious! Thanks for making my day!

You too

Oh yeah, I've NEVER seen any Russians here for sex! They are all pleasant, affable, polite, and respectful representatives of what is so great about Russia. They only come to add beauty to the local culture just as they have done in South Korea.

[waza]

I am shocked reading the comments from people hoping the Russians stop coming. If they don't come then local people will lose their jobs in hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions and construction sites

The Russians come in huge numbers and spend money, unlike I would imagine the majority of other nationalities, including people on this site, who came here for sex.

Hilarious! Thanks for making my day!

You too

Oh yeah, I've NEVER seen any Russians here for sex! They are all pleasant, affable, polite, and respectful representatives of what is so great about Russia. They only come to add beauty to the local culture just as they have done in South Korea.

Try taking a walk along the Pattaya beach, plenty of Russian having sex there.

[kentrot]

TWO thoughts :

(1) We who live in Pattaya area and Phuket are in the middle of the storm of tourists who come to Thailand. But outside this very small area is the real Thailand.

TOURISM makes up ONLY 7.6% of Thailand's GDP . So don't assume that the country would fall apart without tourism. Also - Malays and Chinese are much more numerous than Russians as tourists. So the loss of Russian tourists would not make a huge dent in the economy - just the local scene. ( http://www.wbiworldconpro.com/uploads/bangkok-conference-2013/economics/1364449820_221-Alan.pdf )

(2) Russians complaining about Thai drivers is like the kettle calling the pot black. Check this YouTube video of Russian drivers .

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itMdLTd1l4E )

[PaullyW]

TWO thoughts :

 

(1) We who live in Pattaya area and Phuket are in the middle of the storm of tourists who come to Thailand. But outside this very small area is the real Thailand.

      TOURISM makes up ONLY  7.6% of Thailand's GDP . So don't assume that the country would fall apart without tourism.   Also - Malays and Chinese are much more numerous than Russians as tourists.  So the loss of Russian tourists would not make a huge dent in the economy - just the local scene.       (  http://www.wbiworldconpro.com/uploads/bangkok-conference-2013/economics/1364449820_221-Alan.pdf  )

 

(2) Russians complaining about Thai drivers is like the kettle calling the pot black.   Check this YouTube video of Russian drivers .

    (   

  )

Some of us have posted in other discussions that we suspect the reported percentage contribution to the Thai economy by tourism is very underreported.

How can a country that is 1) stuck in a cash based economy, 2) cannot even properly collect tax from its citizens and non-citizens alike, 3) does not acknowledge the sextrade as significant contribution to GDP despite its decades reputation of a sextrade world capital, and 4) that operates an acknowledged huge Grey and Black economy.... possibly calculate a reasonably accurate figure in this regard?

Further, if the constant attention at the highest levels of the political and economic leadership in Thailand is CONSTANTLY putting tourism at the forefront of discussion regarding Thai economic performance, are we to think that tourism is so low a percentage of Thai GDP.

Some economists estimate at least double the figure your report.