Russians, Thais and umbrellas. Not a good mix

[Suradit69]

Please let me know where the Cultured, Upper Class Russians are; The ones I have met

must be the Siberian Crowd..".Me Russian I do what I want"....falling down drunk, rude, loud

and "pissing on the lawn type....." I would enjoy meeting the Moscow Russians, but I believe

the Vacation in other parts of the world.

While I also met many cultured Russians in Moscow, they were a minority (in my experience) there. The social interactions on the streets in Moscow seemed marked by more suspicion, cynicism, and distrust compared to the American, Thai, and Latin American cultures I am familiar with. Russia is a tough place. I don't include comparisons with the many other cultures I only seen during briefer exposures. When Russians feel that they have been cheated here (often justified, more often not justified), they seem to react more aggressively than most of the other tourists the Thais are used to.

I tend to agree with you that, with strangers, Russians are wary and mistrustful. I can only suggest an explanation of it being a hangover from years and years of oppression and internal spying. For example, Russians rarely smile without a reason - I was told that this was because people who routinely smiled were considered to have some secret, and were thus susceptible to investigation or worse. Living in that sort of environment can, I am sure, make you extremely wary of everyone with whom you are unfamiliar.

That said, once you are welcomed into the trust of a Russian, you are treated like the most honoured of guests. It took me a while to understand why Russians referred to their peers as brothers and sisters - it is because the bond of friendship between Russians (or with a foreigner and a Russian) is like that of siblings. I feel honoured and privileged that I have such friendships.

"I was told that this was because people who routinely smiled were considered to have some secret "

Was the person who told you that smiling ... or possibly giggling?

Edited February 3, 2014 by Suradit69

[hgv driver]

In my everlasting quest to lose weight and walk more, I took the village to Nai Harn early this morning.

Towards 9 a.m. I am still in the water coaxing my 7 year old to follow me. I hear an angry Thai man. I look back towards the umbrella.

There is this half drunk Thai (wife smelled alcohol as she was sitting under the shade) waving his arms, throwing an umbrella to the ground. By this time, it was time to head to the car, so off I went towards the wife.

This idiot is going off on a Russian who had put his stuff on the chairs. Fair enough, the thai was pissed as the ruski did not want to pay.

Both sides wrong. I asked the thai guy to calm down, the russian does not understand why you are angry, etc etc...I told the russian to walk away. Ruski was about ready to beat the guy up. Not a good idea.

Turns out, the russians are notorious with putting their stuff on the mafia chairs and refusing to pay. Angrily, the thai told my wife, that he only has problems with russians, no other nationality.

Now, having an argument at 9 am is a bit ridiculous. Russians need to understand how things are done here. I have no idea if umbrellas are free on Lake Baikal or the Black Sea, or Turkey, but here, you gotta pay the 100 baht.

I told the Thai to make up a sign, in Russian, and show to them. They will understand. Russians do not understand an angry thai waving arms, splitting umbrellas and alcohol,with English on both sides.

Hotels need to do a better job with informing them about the beach "rules".

Sigh...just venting.

I blame the Russian tour companies they should be printing leaflets to tell there customer about the way to go about Thailand I have seen problems in small supermarkets when they are not allowed to sell alcohol for various reasons and some big Russian pointing to the vodka bottle and the wee girl staff telling him cannot .I am at the stage now if I see Russians in the shop buying top up for there phones and the staff have to input the info I go elsewhere.

You would like to help but unless you can speak the lingo -------

DON'T blame the Russians they cant help it its there lack of manners and ignorance of the world outside there own country,who else would you see pick up a whole bowl of fruit from a self service breakfast bar and take to his own table,personally i avoid them like the plaque.

[LivinginKata]

Please let me know where the Cultured, Upper Class Russians are; The ones I have met

must be the Siberian Crowd..".Me Russian I do what I want"....falling down drunk, rude, loud

and "pissing on the lawn type....." I would enjoy meeting the Moscow Russians, but I believe

the Vacation in other parts of the world.

Every country in the world has it's fair share of 'bad' tourists. The Russians and Ukrainians that have rented homes from us have all been very pleasant and trouble free. For sure a good number speak little or no English, and use their smart phone as a translator.

[Rorri]

If you can speak only 1 language ,stay in your home country or learn to speak more languages ,,or cultivate yourself,learn mandarin (most spoken language in the world! ),or french or english as a second or third language.

Don't expect natives to adapt to your language,in colonial times this arrogance was common ,but these times are gone .

The average bar-lady (or Pakistani,Indy,Swahili,........) speaks more languages than the average Russian French English .....tourist.

the fact that you have more money doesn't make you ( look) smarter.

It's time to accept the fact that speaking only 1 language ,you look poorly educated in every non english(french,russian...)country.

please reply only in russian ,lol

So by your logic, one should never travel to a country unless you can already converse with the local population?

What utter RUBBISH -

So true. Here's my opinion, and it's sure to get some negative comments. If people want YOU to come to their country and spend YOUR money, then it is up to them to learn your language, not for you to learn theirs, after all, for all intents and purposes , you are their customer. Please, I don't want ANYONE to say we are "guests" we are NOT, go look at the definition of "guest."

Agree to a point, but that could potentially be 50 languages.......

The smarter opertors have Russian language signs made up or employ Russian speaking GRO etc....

True, I should qualify my comment by saying "English" is really the international language. A few basic words, for the tourist,, e.g. how much, too much, thank you etc, goes a long way to making their holiday more enjoyable. Having said that, Thailand needs to cater for the tourists, tourist do not need to cater for Thais, but should at least respect all people and do their best to understand Thai culture lol.. we will never understand it 100%, I simply believe even Thais don't understand it 100%.

[erui1uvatar]

i REALLY don't understand Russians. They are everywhere in asia. EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear an argument, someone yelling, or see an incident it is a Russian, 96% of the time. Every time I see someone arguing with a Thai about NOT wanting to pay for at ticket, or an entrance fee, it's a russian. every time I see someone littering, or getting naked at a public place ie a waterfall, its a Russian. This trip to asia has reallllyy made me hate Russians.

[eezergood]

I blame the Russian tour companies they should be printing leaflets to tell there customer about the way to go about Thailand I have seen problems in small supermarkets when they are not allowed to sell alcohol for various reasons and some big Russian pointing to the vodka bottle and the wee girl staff telling him cannot .I am at the stage now if I see Russians in the shop buying top up for there phones and the staff have to input the info I go elsewhere.

You would like to help but unless you can speak the lingo -------

DON'T blame the Russians they cant help it its there lack of manners and ignorance of the world outside there own country,who else would you see pick up a whole bowl of fruit from a self service breakfast bar and take to his own table,personally i avoid them like the plaque.

This is very common in India & China - Ive worked in both, not only the Russians do this....

Not, by any means, a Russian apologist BUT for many years they had little to Zero chance of every travelling so why would you bother to learn about the world at large.....?

[almafudd]

i REALLY don't understand Russians. They are everywhere in asia. EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear an argument, someone yelling, or see an incident it is a Russian, 96% of the time. Every time I see someone arguing with a Thai about NOT wanting to pay for at ticket, or an entrance fee, it's a russian. every time I see someone littering, or getting naked at a public place ie a waterfall, its a Russian. This trip to asia has reallllyy made me hate Russians.

EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear an argument, someone yelling, or see an incident it is a Russian, 96% of the time

[HOOD Robin]

Where did Russians go on holiday before Phuket. I still cant believe how many of them are over here.

How can you tell a Russian from say, an American, or a Brit unless you hear them speaking?

Slavic features, pirate bandana on the head, family on motorbike with no helmets, tight shorts on the men, tighter shorts on the women, buy their booze at the 7, cut and quality of their clothes in general. indifference to real of implied rights/property of others. See my prior comment on this thread before accusing me of bashing.

Will not accuse you of bashing, I know nothing about the Russians, but the way some TV members post, I get the impression that they can tell a Russian by just looking at them. I don't know why. I certainly don't know anything about Slavic features.

When I have seen photos of them, they look like an American or Brit.

lol.... " they look like an American or Brit "... guess you need some glasses mate...

[erui1uvatar]

i REALLY don't understand Russians. They are everywhere in asia. EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear an argument, someone yelling, or see an incident it is a Russian, 96% of the time. Every time I see someone arguing with a Thai about NOT wanting to pay for at ticket, or an entrance fee, it's a russian. every time I see someone littering, or getting naked at a public place ie a waterfall, its a Russian. This trip to asia has reallllyy made me hate Russians.

EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear an argument, someone yelling, or see an incident it is a Russian, 96% of the time

Learn Exaggeration, 4percent difference there oh my god!

[NoshowJones]

So Mr Hood, if I showed you a photo of an American, a Brit and a Russian, would you be able to pick out the Russian without guessing?

[starkey_rich]

I think it was a stupid idea getting involved especially when it involves a p-ssed Thai.Best let them just get on with it.

Learn the rules

[eezergood]

So Mr Hood, if I showed you a photo of an American, a Brit and a Russian, would you be able to pick out the Russian without guessing?

96% of the time YES

[kiwicouple]

Where did Russians go on holiday before Phuket. I still cant believe how many of them are over here.

How can you tell a Russian from say, an American, or a Brit unless you hear them speaking?

... Their GF/wife is usually gorgeous, or at the very least she is obviously looking after herself, her figure etc. The Brits and Yanks are more unkempt and fat. Yes this is generalizing, but there is a lot of truth in it.

[NoshowJones]

So Mr Hood, if I showed you a photo of an American, a Brit and a Russian, would you be able to pick out the Russian without guessing?

96% of the time YES

OK, but I have been to Pattaya quite a lot, next time I go, I will ask someone to point out a Russian to me.

[eezergood]

So Mr Hood, if I showed you a photo of an American, a Brit and a Russian, would you be able to pick out the Russian without guessing?

96% of the time YES

OK, but I have been to Pattaya quite a lot, next time I go, I will ask someone to point out a Russian to me.

Thats quite easy, go to Jomtien, head for the beach & point at someone - 96% of the time it will be a Ruskie (or former USSR country)

BTW - you realise this is a Phuket thread?

[NoshowJones]

Where did Russians go on holiday before Phuket. I still cant believe how many of them are over here.

How can you tell a Russian from say, an American, or a Brit unless you hear them speaking?

... Their GF/wife is usually gorgeous, or at the very least she is obviously looking after herself, her figure etc. The Brits and Yanks are more unkempt and fat. Yes this is generalizing, but there is a lot of truth in it.

Yes, I believe there is, so these nice looking birds in Pattaya are mostly Russian. Can you easily tell a Russian guy from an American or Brit?

[eezergood]

?

... Their GF/wife is usually gorgeous, or at the very least she is obviously looking after herself, her figure etc. The Brits and Yanks are more unkempt and fat. Yes this is generalizing, but there is a lot of truth in it.

Yes, I believe there is, so these nice looking birds in Pattaya are mostly Russian. Can you easily tell a Russian guy from an American or Brit?

Russians look like the man from Del Monte only with a sailor Jerry style hat

[Patrick Mills]

I moved to Thailand from the US, I stay away from Phuket, and Pattaya, not just the Russian, but the Germans, as well are all a bunch of Pushy, self centered group of people, they push and shove, till they get what they want, it is the same in the San Francisco Bay Area US. All of the Russians I have met have been middle class, and they are still pushy, and self centered. I do not wish to be around them. Where I live in Thailand I don't see them, and when I go some place like Hua Hin, I try my best to avoid them. It is just to bad that the Thai people let the foreigners trash the beaches like they do, all for the money they bring in. Happy in Thailand.

[CFC]

The Russians understand, most are just cheap and want to see how much

they can get away with free.........

I presume that all Russians are know to you so you can speak with authority, or are you just spouting some stereotypical nonsense?

Most of the Russians I know (and, having lived there for quite a few years, I know quite a few) are far more cultured and well read than your average Brit (the only other nation of which I feel I can speak with a degree of knowledge, myself being one).

Russians may have different sensibilities and traits than you, but that is the same with many other nations. It doesn't make them wrong and you right, but merely different.

They can keep there culture. Well least 99% of Brits know how to smile back at someone when they say Good Morning to them and not just ignore them. Merely different you were spot on there. Merely different from any other nation on planet earth.

[Waldemar]

Please let me know where the Cultured, Upper Class Russians are; The ones I have met

must be the Siberian Crowd..".Me Russian I do what I want"....falling down drunk, rude, loud

and "pissing on the lawn type....." I would enjoy meeting the Moscow Russians, but I believe

the Vacation in other parts of the world.

I raised in Siberia and I have to tell you that it has nothing with where that "drunk, rude etc" person came from. He might be from any part of Russia, even from Moscow. There's everywhere a place for <deleted>. And one more thing - didn't you ever think of that people speaking Russian are not necessarily Russians themselves. They might be Ukrainians, Belarus, Kazakh, Kyrgyz etc.

Why don't you consider all English-speaking people as Brits?

[eezergood]

Please let me know where the Cultured, Upper Class Russians are; The ones I have met

must be the Siberian Crowd..".Me Russian I do what I want"....falling down drunk, rude, loud

and "pissing on the lawn type....." I would enjoy meeting the Moscow Russians, but I believe

the Vacation in other parts of the world.

I raised in Siberia and I have to tell you that it has nothing with where that "drunk, rude etc" person came from. He might be from any part of Russia, even from Moscow. There's everywhere a place for <deleted>. And one more thing - didn't you ever think of that people speaking Russian are not necessarily Russians themselves. They might be Ukrainians, Belarus, Kazakh, Kyrgyz etc.

Why don't you consider all English-speaking people as Brits?

We did, it was called the Empire

[Waldemar]

Where did Russians go on holiday before Phuket. I still cant believe how many of them are over here.

How can you tell a Russian from say, an American, or a Brit unless you hear them speaking?

. The Ruskies are the ones wearing the American Flag shorts and tank tops, Geez. Not tough at all...

I thought the Ruskies did not like Americans.

Aaahhhh.... Another prejudice you've got to stop living with.

[eezergood]

How can you tell a Russian from say, an American, or a Brit unless you hear them speaking?

. The Ruskies are the ones wearing the American Flag shorts and tank tops, Geez. Not tough at all...

I thought the Ruskies did not like Americans.

Aaahhhh.... Another prejudice you've got to stop living with.

Why?

He is entitled to have them.....right or wrong

[mrdome]

If you can speak only 1 language ,stay in your home country or learn to speak more languages ,, ...

What an extreme opinion! Not going to happen and not desirable for anyone really. Most people from native English speaking countries speak only that - have you noticed? I am fluent in two languages.

You learn by going out into the world and it's a great education if you're up and open for it.

[Waldemar]

If you can speak only 1 language ,stay in your home country or learn to speak more languages ,, ...

What an extreme opinion! Not going to happen and not desirable for anyone really. Most people from native English speaking countries speak only that - have you noticed? I am fluent in two languages.

You learn by going out into the world and it's a great education if you're up and open for it.

I believe lucjoker meant mostly Russians saying that =)

[Khun Loong]

Where did Russians go on holiday before Phuket. I still cant believe how many of them are over here.

How can you tell a Russian from say, an American, or a Brit unless you hear them speaking?

Easily.......the way they dress, behave, composure, attitude, facial features and how early in the day they get drunk. Yes generalisations I know, but being right 98% of the time is good enough for me.

Edited February 3, 2014 by Khun Loong

[LivinginKata]

I can see this has turned into a Russian bashing topic.

Read forum rule 7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

as this topic is beyond correction. Now //CLOSED//