jacksam Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Just curious...over last year or so have noticed a LOT of Russian tourists in Asia. Recently on monthly 2 weeks in Vietnam I went to Mui Ne. Anyway couldn't believe it was in the main Russian.Tourists. Even the menus in Thai and Russian. Of course Pattaya phuket etc we know so well. So here's my question. Are Russians very wealthy or just love it here? Also why is it that Thai immigration seems to have sweet deal with Russia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wym Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Warm and cheap and I'm not just talking about the girls. Treated with more respect than other places since they're lumped in with the rest of us as farang. And they're very comfortable and at home with the corrupt culture of impunity, just like here no one makes any serious money without being connected with some mafia or other, so most are either criminals or their children. Lots of business opportunities for the same reason. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wym Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 The various mafias here have everything so well wired they know they can handle mafiosi coming in from anywhere in the world. Actually never thought of it that way, a topic the Thais can claim to be world-class in, other than the obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurentbkk Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. sorry but you are wrong , very easy for Russian to have Shengen visas for example , I have some friends they got one year multiple entry to France , for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos they dont need Visa , as well for Turkey . Russian travel on low budget specially to Pattaya but mostly Russian from south and east of Russia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. sorry but you are wrong , very easy for Russian to have Shengen visas for example , I have some friends they got one year multiple entry to France , for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos they dont need Visa , as well for Turkey . Russian travel on low budget specially to Pattaya but mostly Russian from south and east of Russia. Is that a new thing? I was in Russia just a few years ago and the locals I met dreamed about traveling to Europe. But couldn't get visas. Thailand and Vietnam were a breeze. I believe it was Thaksin who setup the current visa arrangement with Russia and the former soviet bloc countries? For better or worse, it's working quite well. I heard junkets fly here from Siberia and the various surrounding countries for some $600, 6 nights hotel included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 The Russians in Hua Hin are a nice change. They are the high end of Russian society and usually come with their families. They are just as polite and well behaved as other Hua Hin visitors. Having seen the junketeers in Patong it's night and day. Then again, most visitors to Patong are scummy.Hua Hin may be boring, but that's the benefit of having older classy visitors. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. sorry but you are wrong , very easy for Russian to have Shengen visas for example , I have some friends they got one year multiple entry to France , for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos they dont need Visa , as well for Turkey . Russian travel on low budget specially to Pattaya but mostly Russian from south and east of Russia. Is that a new thing? I was in Russia just a few years ago and the locals I met dreamed about traveling to Europe. But couldn't get visas. Thailand and Vietnam were a breeze. I believe it was Thaksin who setup the current visa arrangement with Russia and the former soviet bloc countries? For better or worse, it's working quite well. I heard junkets fly here from Siberia and the various surrounding countries for some $600, 6 nights hotel included. +1 Thanks Mate ... that remains my understanding ... but happy to be corrected if their situation has changed. I have a good Ukrainian friend ... excellent English ... she does the sub-titles for shows like the US Doctor one, the crazy guy with the cane. How I explained it above is how she explained it to me ... and she would know. Things do change though ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LALes Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I believe that the Russians have a sort of Most Favored Nation status here that allows them entry with no visa. Why are the Thais so chummy with the Russians? Who has all the oil and gas reserves? That same oil and gas has driven the Russian economy over the last 10 years to the point that their tourist numbers dwarf those of other farang countries. Without the Russians, Pattaya (and probably Phuket) would go broke. As for Vietnam, don't forget Vietnam used to be a client state of the Soviet Union. There is a history there. Might have a similar setup to Thailand for the same reasons (oil and gas). Nha Trang has become the Vietnamese Pattaya (without the girls). All Russians. The Russians like cheap beaches. Goa, in India, is also one of their hotspots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 (edited) sorry but you are wrong , very easy for Russian to have Shengen visas for example True, Thousands of Russians of different backgrounds living in Berlin, having their own infrastructure (shops, restaurants etc. etc.). Russians and Chinese are virtually everywhere. The majority of Russians on Thai beaches are from the east of Russia (SIberia). Flight is not too long and Thailand simply the closest cheap beach. If it becomes too expensive they will move on. They don't care about political or historical backgrounds at all, refuse to learn a single phrase of a foreign language, behave like colonial masters. I simply don't like them, but easy to avoid, they don't mix in with other tourists. And the majority of Thais earning their money with tourists, simply don't care about any "backgrounds" too. They know nothing about the countries where tourists come from. No idea of geography, history or whatever. Money makes the world go round. Edited February 5, 2014 by KhunBENQ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex8912 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. sorry but you are wrong , very easy for Russian to have Shengen visas for example , I have some friends they got one year multiple entry to France , for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos they dont need Visa , as well for Turkey . Russian travel on low budget specially to Pattaya but mostly Russian from south and east of Russia. I don't think it's very easy as well. Also which Shengan visa countries have nice weather in December, January , February or March? Any?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchooptip Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. Really? Or its a joke? Russians have no visa problems in most Europeans countries, Italy, Spain, France, have a lot of Russians tourists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tchooptip Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. sorry but you are wrong , very easy for Russian to have Shengen visas for example , I have some friends they got one year multiple entry to France , for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos they dont need Visa , as well for Turkey . Russian travel on low budget specially to Pattaya but mostly Russian from south and east of Russia. I don't think it's very easy as well. Also which Shengan visa countries have nice weather in December, January , February or March? Any?? You mentioned the skiing season? Yes it is overcrowded indeed with Russians (the well-off ones...not the bests) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David48 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 The Policy must have changed and I'm happy to stand corrected ... Russians receive similar Visa entry requirements as many other Foreign Countries enjoy ... Wiki Visa_policy_of_Thailand . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillyflower Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I reply to Alex 8912. I'm a Shengan girl. That's exactly why I'm here for the months you mention. Have been doing so for the last 13 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yourauntbob Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 you find more Americans in South American countries due to proximity, I would think that would be some of the case why you find pleanty of Russians in Thailand. Russia is in Asia after all........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Brown Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam and let me say this, I thought that that Phuket had become an annex of mother Russia. From what I observed in places like Nha Trang and other coastal locations. I have changed my way of thinking. The beaches are overcrowded with Russians, the shopping centers have Russian speakers working in the department stores. Everywhere you look there are Russians. Every second tour bus is Pegas Touristk. So in reality there aren't that many Russians in Phuket. They are all in Vietnam. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksam Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 Thanks for all the replies. Like Mr Brown, I found Vietnam just had so many Russian tourists especially any beach area. The population of about 140million to number of tourists just surprises me. I always imagined they were not that affluent compared to some other countries. I mean there is about 120million Japanese and yes they come but not in these numbers? Maybe I "over notice" Russians. Mi d you not hard if your in a restaurant or 7/11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksam Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 Thanks for all the replies. Like Mr Brown, I found Vietnam just had so many Russian tourists especially any beach area. The population of about 140million to number of tourists just surprises me. I always imagined they were not that affluent compared to some other countries. I mean there is about 120million Japanese and yes they come but not in these numbers? Maybe I "over notice" Russians. Mi d you not hard if your in a restaurant or 7/11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianP Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 That rich Russian food is reason they are mostly portly. Me too from eating that alloy food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VINCENT2012 Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 i will just put it that way...what about if the information is turned like this?just supose you are american ok. Just curious...over last year or so have noticed a LOT of americans tourists in Asia. Recently on monthly 2 weeks in Vietnam I went to Mui Ne. Anyway couldn't believe it was in the main americans.Tourists. Even the menus in Thai and american. Of course Pattaya phuket etc we know so well. So here's my question. Are americans very wealthy or just love it here? Also why is it that Thai immigration seems to have sweet deal with americans what would you think? good day and good night 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Brown Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 i will just put it that way...what about if the information is turned like this?just supose you are american ok. Just curious...over last year or so have noticed a LOT of americans tourists in Asia. Recently on monthly 2 weeks in Vietnam I went to Mui Ne. Anyway couldn't believe it was in the main americans.Tourists. Even the menus in Thai and american. Of course Pattaya phuket etc we know so well. So here's my question. Are americans very wealthy or just love it here? Also why is it that Thai immigration seems to have sweet deal with americans what would you think? good day and good night I would more then likely say the same thing I said about the Russians. Don't worry I throw a vodka or two down tonight so you wont feel aggrieved..lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnycthedog Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam and let me say this, I thought that that Phuket had become an annex of mother Russia. From what I observed in places like Nha Trang and other coastal locations. I have changed my way of thinking. The beaches are overcrowded with Russians, the shopping centers have Russian speakers working in the department stores. Everywhere you look there are Russians. Every second tour bus is Pegas Touristk. So in reality there aren't that many Russians in Phuket. They are all in Vietnam. Some months ago on another thread someone posted the figures - in 2005 - 100,000 Russian tourists to Thailand. In 2012 there were 1,200,000 Russian tourists in Thailand. The graph is heading up at a rapid rate. Here and on other threads posters have said that Pattaya & Phuket would go broke if not for Russian tourists. My counter to that is maybe tourists from the European countries and other parts of the Western culture may come back to these places if they weren't so crowded out with Russians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gor Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 (edited) Easy to explain Cheap ( 1 week trip start from $500 at person ), good climate, sea, Egypt closed due revolution. ps. A poll conducted by the All-Russia Centre for Public Opinion Studies (VTsIOM) last year revealed that the number of people ready to leave Russia for good has grown fourfold since the breakup of the Soviet Union 20 years ago. Today, 21 per cent of Russians consider emigration as their chance for self-attainment and a better life. Among the educated young people, the share of potential emigrants is staggering — 39 percent. Edited February 5, 2014 by gor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gor Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Another important reason is the availability of credits. People take money in the bank, then pay the entire year. So this is why many russians so "rich and crazy". =)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaanUSA Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Cam Ranh airport has many direct flights to Russia. 200kms, approx 5 hours to Mui Ne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trembly Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 Actually, a major contributing factor for the Russians and the Ukrainians is the fact that it is very difficult for them to get Visas to many countries of the World. Thailand, for a modest Fee, offer this to them. Thailand and Russia have a reciprocal 30 days visa-free agreement. Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakhonandy Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam and let me say this, I thought that that Phuket had become an annex of mother Russia. From what I observed in places like Nha Trang and other coastal locations. I have changed my way of thinking. The beaches are overcrowded with Russians, the shopping centers have Russian speakers working in the department stores. Everywhere you look there are Russians. Every second tour bus is Pegas Touristk. So in reality there aren't that many Russians in Phuket. They are all in Vietnam. Some months ago on another thread someone posted the figures - in 2005 - 100,000 Russian tourists to Thailand. In 2012 there were 1,200,000 Russian tourists in Thailand. The graph is heading up at a rapid rate. Here and on other threads posters have said that Pattaya & Phuket would go broke if not for Russian tourists. My counter to that is maybe tourists from the European countries and other parts of the Western culture may come back to these places if they weren't so crowded out with Russians. I can only speak for Pattaya and Jomtien but they would not go broke, maybe the 7/11's and the Family Mart but not much else. The bulk of these tourists just do not spend money. As to your point about the Europeans etc might return, I agree that the Russian influx is why they don't come but they have probably found other pleasant destinations now. IMHO they are gone for good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10Yen Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam and let me say this, I thought that that Phuket had become an annex of mother Russia. From what I observed in places like Nha Trang and other coastal locations. I have changed my way of thinking. The beaches are overcrowded with Russians, the shopping centers have Russian speakers working in the department stores. Everywhere you look there are Russians. Every second tour bus is Pegas Touristk. So in reality there aren't that many Russians in Phuket. They are all in Vietnam. Some months ago on another thread someone posted the figures - in 2005 - 100,000 Russian tourists to Thailand. In 2012 there were 1,200,000 Russian tourists in Thailand. The graph is heading up at a rapid rate. Here and on other threads posters have said that Pattaya & Phuket would go broke if not for Russian tourists. My counter to that is maybe tourists from the European countries and other parts of the Western culture may come back to these places if they weren't so crowded out with Russians. I can only speak for Pattaya and Jomtien but they would not go broke, maybe the 7/11's and the Family Mart but not much else. The bulk of these tourists just do not spend money. As to your point about the Europeans etc might return, I agree that the Russian influx is why they don't come but they have probably found other pleasant destinations now. IMHO they are gone for good. Hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimaxx Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 The Policy must have changed and I'm happy to stand corrected ... Russians receive similar Visa entry requirements as many other Foreign Countries enjoy ... Wiki Visa_policy_of_Thailand . Anybody knows, what is the deal with the 3-months visa agreements between Thailand and these five south american countries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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