Russians vs Brits

[wooloomooloo]

nickmanchester2, on 04 Mar 2014 - 17:07, said:

we went to meet another russian bloke one night that she didn't know and he gave her some russian medicine for her sister that he brought alone with him after she asked if anyone could help on the internet - nice guy as well as he went out of his way to find her and didn't want any money for the medicine - so from my experience nice people.

I'll bet he didn't want any money for the medicine.

Edited March 4, 2014 by wooloomooloo

[nickmanchester2]

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I have a really nice Russian friend who lives in Pattaya (i'm English), I met her at the border in nong khai and offered her a lift back in my car - she is lovely, very friendly girl and also she introduced me to her sister as well after we met up again a couple of weeks later - both really nice girls from Siberia.

we went to meet another russian bloke one night that she didn't know and he gave her some russian medicine for her sister that he brought alone with him after she asked if anyone could help on the internet - nice guy as well as he went out of his way to find her and didn't want any money for the medicine - so from my experience nice people.

And did you speak English with them ? I am surprised they could speak English , most tourists from Siberia do not know a word of English .

We talked pretty much non stop from nong khai to pattaya which was great as I would fallen asleep otherwise as it was the middle of the night. One thing which did make me laugh though was when she was talking about star signs, she said she was a Virgin.

[Hecate]

I was in Thawatsadu this morning getting some Jotun paint mixed up for my outside walls, whilst I was sitting on a the bench by the mixing machine there was a young guy speaking Thai to the paint assistant, he turned to me and in in English asked what I thought about his choice of colours for his room, we spoke for several minutes about that and where he stayed also where he came from, he told me in perfect English he was from an area close to the Black Sea and came to Thailand around two years back.

This young man had taken the trouble to learn English and Thai in the short time he had spent here, I regret I do not have any English friends including myself who have taken the trouble to learn two languages whilst living here.

It was very pleasant indeed to talk to him and find out more about why he came to Thailand to live.

I had a Russian lady in my Thai class who had also learned English at the same school. I think that's pretty dedicated. I haven't met many Russians where I live, and the ones that I have met have been fine.

[Trentham]

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I was in Thawatsadu this morning getting some Jotun paint mixed up for my outside walls, whilst I was sitting on a the bench by the mixing machine there was a young guy speaking Thai to the paint assistant, he turned to me and in in English asked what I thought about his choice of colours for his room, we spoke for several minutes about that and where he stayed also where he came from, he told me in perfect English he was from an area close to the Black Sea and came to Thailand around two years back.

This young man had taken the trouble to learn English and Thai in the short time he had spent here, I regret I do not have any English friends including myself who have taken the trouble to learn two languages whilst living here.

It was very pleasant indeed to talk to him and find out more about why he came to Thailand to live.

I have a Chinese friend who has a music business in LOS, he speaks/understands about 7 languages, never been to school. alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

He tells me that his "gray cells" just pick it up......... alt=thumbsup.gif width=25 height=19>

If you speak real English and not that Yankee perversion then you spell it "grey".

[Andre0720]

Prefer doing business with the Russians anyday compared to any other nationality. The Russians say what they think and are honest, civil, courteous almost all of the time, compare that to the know it all bar fly, Thai visa readers from the West that think they know everything but know absolutly nothing, are rude, arrogant, dam_n right nasty people most of the time that do not appreciate any effort we go to help them. Every single Russian customer we have has said thankyou, giving small presents and taking out and paying for dinner/drinks at some of the most expensive places in Pattaya. Mr Brit/Oz/Yank whatever simply moans.....Lets hope more of them come each year, this being the best yet for us

In front of the beach in Karon, a Thai owner of 4 stalls selling clothes gifts etc, says this year is very bad for business. He says he has to take money OUT of his bank account instead of making deposits.

I said that there are many tourists this year on the beach. To which he replied, Russians...Khee niaao mak.

Guess you got all the rich big spender ones...

[Andre0720]

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I was in Thawatsadu this morning getting some Jotun paint mixed up for my outside walls, whilst I was sitting on a the bench by the mixing machine there was a young guy speaking Thai to the paint assistant, he turned to me and in in English asked what I thought about his choice of colours for his room, we spoke for several minutes about that and where he stayed also where he came from, he told me in perfect English he was from an area close to the Black Sea and came to Thailand around two years back.

This young man had taken the trouble to learn English and Thai in the short time he had spent here, I regret I do not have any English friends including myself who have taken the trouble to learn two languages whilst living here.

It was very pleasant indeed to talk to him and find out more about why he came to Thailand to live.

I have a Chinese friend who has a music business in LOS, he speaks/understands about 7 languages, never been to school. alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

He tells me that his "gray cells" just pick it up......... alt=thumbsup.gif width=25 height=19>

If you speak real English and not that Yankee perversion then you spell it "grey".

Just make a deal with him.

Teach him how to spell 'grey' correctly.

In return, he might just teach you good manners in communication...

[HerbalEd]

What exactly do you "want to get off (your) chest? You poorly attempt to sound neutral here, but me thinks otherwise and you're actually here to stir up some Russian bashing.

[Joe Mamma]

Being an American, i have the blood of most European nations in me. I like to drink with all of them. And i mingle with those who do, and give space to those who don't.

[HerbalEd]

Prefer doing business with the Russians anyday compared to any other nationality. The Russians say what they think and are honest, civil, courteous almost all of the time, compare that to the know it all bar fly, Thai visa readers from the West that think they know everything but know absolutly nothing, are rude, arrogant, dam_n right nasty people most of the time that do not appreciate any effort we go to help them. Every single Russian customer we have has said thankyou, giving small presents and taking out and paying for dinner/drinks at some of the most expensive places in Pattaya. Mr Brit/Oz/Yank whatever simply moans.....Lets hope more of them come each year, this being the best yet for us

You might be blind to that stuff, taken in even. Just saying.......... ...........BUT, if they pay up, cool.

He's describing what he's actually seen/experienced, but you say he "might be blind" ... but you see 20/20, right? When you hear something that you "think" is wrong, maybe it's you that's wrong.

[HerbalEd]

If there's one notable difference between the 2 groups it is that Brits go to beer bars and Go Go bars in droves and enjoy a drink and a laugh talking with the girls. With the Russians you almost never see them in beer bars or Go Go bars, why would that be?

Because Russian girls are hot.

Each to their own ................ but you have serious problems IMHO.

You write "each to their own" ... and then you insult him. Humble opinion? Hardly.

Edited March 5, 2014 by HerbalEd

[BlueSkyCowboy]

There might be fewer of them around soon if things escalate in Ukrain and the world starts sanctions against Russia

If we lose the Russian tourists in Pattaya (1.2million annually according to city Gov) it will spell disaster for all businesses incl. real estate. The Rubbel will reduce tourism as it gets too expensive for the Russians. Further, the British criminals will be upset when the Russian gangster take control

[BlueSkyCowboy]

I prefer Russians any day. I have worked with a lot of them. The huge influx of low fife Brits into Thailand alienated a lot of Thais against foreigners. i

I am sorry that you seem to have had some bad experiences with the British. We can be a bit rough it is true. Indeed a Frenchman once wrote (just to show that the French have a sense of humour after all):

"The reason the sun never sets on the British Empire is that God would never trust an Englishman in the dark." ... which I am sure is what the Aussies say as the light begins to fade at the end of a long day's cricket.

I live on Koh Samui, arriving in January 2012. I am not aware of any problem with the Thais about being British here; quite the opposite in fact.

One of the biggest surprises was seeing the number of Thai women, who are happy to wear T shirts with the Union Jack on; loads of Thai men wear English Premier League club shirts. A few Thais wear 'Beatles' T shirts.

I am always being asked where I come from. When I say that I am English they seem genuinely pleased. So much so that initially I found it all a bit disconcerting. I had only just arrived on the island and didn't feel that I had done anything to deserve such warm smiles. I think that I was also worried that I might do or say something wrong and so "let the side down"!

I have met lots of Russians here. Generally they all seem to speak at least some English and seem to be mainly computer programmers. They are polite and well behaved. I like them. They can be very noisy when there's a lot of them, but then none of us is perfect.

You may have a better class of Brits and other tourists in Samui then we have in Pattaya

[elgenon]

My personal experience with Russians in Pattaya is that they tend to suffer from a superiority attitude and some drink all the time. Not saying they all are like that, just the ones I have come into contact with and see. I do have a buddy in the States who married a Russian he met online. Nice lady. Of course some Brits drink all the time also.

Chinese can pick up the Thai language more easily than Anglos because their language also has tones.

With the reduction in the number of Westerners I worry about the future of the go-gos. Maybe the Asians are saving them from going under. Patronize the go-gos and save them from extinction, please!

[BlueSkyCowboy]

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I have a really nice Russian friend who lives in Pattaya (i'm English), I met her at the border in nong khai and offered her a lift back in my car - she is lovely, very friendly girl and also she introduced me to her sister as well after we met up again a couple of weeks later - both really nice girls from Siberia.

we went to meet another russian bloke one night that she didn't know and he gave her some russian medicine for her sister that he brought alone with him after she asked if anyone could help on the internet - nice guy as well as he went out of his way to find her and didn't want any money for the medicine - so from my experience nice people.

And did you speak English with them ? I am surprised they could speak English , most tourists from Siberia do not know a word of English .

We talked pretty much non stop from nong khai to pattaya which was great as I would fallen asleep otherwise as it was the middle of the night. One thing which did make me laugh though was when she was talking about star signs, she said she was a Virgin.

Well........ did u find out ???

[Langsuan Man]

Ho hum, another Russian bashing thread here a Thai Visa. Doesn't it get old people

[Bernard Flint]

If there's one notable difference between the 2 groups it is that Brits go to beer bars and Go Go bars in droves and enjoy a drink and a laugh talking with the girls. With the Russians you almost never see them in beer bars or Go Go bars, why would that be?

Because Russian girls are hot.

I have seen far far more fat Russians.I only assume they are Russian,like u,as i dont speak the language

[BlueSkyCowboy]

If there's one notable difference between the 2 groups it is that Brits go to beer bars and Go Go bars in droves and enjoy a drink and a laugh talking with the girls. With the Russians you almost never see them in beer bars or Go Go bars, why would that be?

Because Russian girls are hot.

Each to their own ................ but you have serious problems IMHO.

Russians come with wife and kids or a GF. Most of those people do not speak english. It will be tough for Issaan

[Bernard Flint]

My personal experience with Russians in Pattaya is that they tend to suffer from a superiority attitude and some drink all the time. Not saying they all are like that, just the ones I have come into contact with and see. I do have a buddy in the States who married a Russian he met online. Nice lady. Of course some Brits drink all the time also.

Chinese can pick up the Thai language more easily than Anglos because their language also has tones.

With the reduction in the number of Westerners I worry about the future of the go-gos. Maybe the Asians are saving them from going under. Patronize the go-gos and save them from extinction, please!

The hotel where my partner works is packed with mainly Russian families.She says they are very nice people and tip very well too,compared to the thais and Indonesians.Btw, SHE SAYS Vietnam tourists tip well too.

[Brevity]

The good, the bad, and the ugly are available in all nationalities, and this type of debate is senseless, as far as I am concerned.

I have worked with and met good, nice, and intelligent people from many countries, including the British ones and Russia. I think the type of people you meet has more to do with the type of place you are than where the people come from. My first impression of Russians in Pattaya was not a good one because I almost got trampled by a crowd of them when 5 busloads arrived at the Luk Dok shop where I was shopping. They pushed their way in front of me or basically pushed me out of the way if there was something they wanted to see or buy. I was sure that they were all heathens by that kind of behavior. But then I gave it some thought and decided that that type of behavior is more due to the restrictions these people had lived with in an unenterprising economy. I remember the pictures of Russians (not that long ago) lined up to buy anything they could get from their sparsely-stocked stores, so for the older Russian tourists, a place like Luk Dok with all its shiney and colorful delights must be like a fairy tale for some of them, so I can understand their unreserved aggression in a situation like that.

As for the numbers of Russians arriving and making those of us from British or North American roots the minority, I can see much more evidence of that. I was at a friend's condo building south of Pattaya and while waiting for him in the lobby, I noticed some restaurant leaflets on a table. I picked one up and saw that it was for pizza with the menu in English Thai, and Russian. That was no surprise, but the other one that was for a place that seemed to specialize in sushi and pizza was only in Thai and Russian,

[muratremix]

If Russia injects ethnic Russians to Thailand in future, perhaps they'll send Russian army to protect their rights, thats what they do right?

[alex8912]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I was in Thawatsadu this morning getting some Jotun paint mixed up for my outside walls, whilst I was sitting on a the bench by the mixing machine there was a young guy speaking Thai to the paint assistant, he turned to me and in in English asked what I thought about his choice of colours for his room, we spoke for several minutes about that and where he stayed also where he came from, he told me in perfect English he was from an area close to the Black Sea and came to Thailand around two years back.

This young man had taken the trouble to learn English and Thai in the short time he had spent here, I regret I do not have any English friends including myself who have taken the trouble to learn two languages whilst living here.

It was very pleasant indeed to talk to him and find out more about why he came to Thailand to live.

I have a Chinese friend who has a music business in LOS, he speaks/understands about 7 languages, never been to school. alt=whistling.gif width=19 height=18>

He tells me that his "gray cells" just pick it up......... alt=thumbsup.gif width=25 height=19>

If you speak real English and not that Yankee perversion then you spell it "grey".

Typical comment from an old Brit on TVF. Never saw a bigger group of adult men who hold grudges and can't cope with an ever changing American English language or change in general. Russians will learn to adapt after a few years. Now go twerk it!

[Lancelot]

If there's one notable difference between the 2 groups it is that Brits go to beer bars and Go Go bars in droves and enjoy a drink and a laugh talking with the girls. With the Russians you almost never see them in beer bars or Go Go bars, why would that be?

Have you noticed the Russian women they bring with them? The Russian girls I've seen are pretty hot

[MrWorldwide]

If Russia injects ethnic Russians to Thailand in future, perhaps they'll send Russian army to protect their rights, thats what they do right?

Give it a rest - you know as well as I do that there have been ethnic Russians in Crimea for centuries. Doesnt make what Putin is doing 'right', but I doubt the US would give up a valuable strategic asset on the Black Sea if they found themselves in the same position. Let's try to keep the focus on Thailand, shall we ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimea

According to the 2001 Ukrainian population census 58% of the population of Crimea are ethnic Russians and 24% are ethnic Ukrainians

[Suradit69]

(time was the Brits were the largest ex pat community in pattaya and thailand)

I would have thought people from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos and the Hill Tribes, some of whom were born here, as well as ethnic Chinese would out-number the Brits in Thailand ... but then typically Brits tend to dismiss such people are not real in one context or another.

[muratremix]

If Russia injects ethnic Russians to Thailand in future, perhaps they'll send Russian army to protect their rights, thats what they do right?

Give it a rest - you know as well as I do that there have been ethnic Russians in Crimea for centuries. Doesnt make what Putin is doing 'right', but I doubt the US would give up a valuable strategic asset on the Black Sea if they found themselves in the same position. Let's try to keep the focus on Thailand, shall we ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimea

According to the 2001 Ukrainian population census 58% of the population of Crimea are ethnic Russians and 24% are ethnic Ukrainians

You're unware of mass ethnicity displacements during Soviets era then? Otherwise how can you explain this much Russians living in almost all Turkic republics that left Soviets after the fallout (Kazakhstan, Azarbaijan and others).

Besides, Crimea had massive Tatar population which were sent to exile to open living space for "Injected" russians.

[nopmypomplem]

For me I tend to think th Russians tend to stick to themselves. Although having russian friends myself Northern, southern and eastern are very different from each other. norther and eastern tend to be more closed off rude some think although not me it's just how they are. southerners absolutely great people very honest and engaging. One thing I'll point out is Tesco security tend to check their bags alot knowing they tend to do alot of theiving and I have never seen other foreigners apart from possible tge Nigeria n's being picked out as they do.

[monkey4u]

Are people here seriously defending the Russians? Along with Israel they are the rudest people on earth. Period.

Never seen such ignorance and rudeness in all my time. Their problem is that they all think that they are 'mafia'

Better add Dutch and German to that list

Also add me when I'm drunk

[Halion]

Labels are for jam jars and you should speak as you find. There is good and bad in every culture and country and far to many opinions are based on stereotype generalizations. A little tolerance can go a long way.

[Donnie Brasco]

Ho hum, another Russian bashing thread here a Thai Visa. Doesn't it get old people

Yeah. There was no internet to speak of when the bangers and mash, bubble and squeak, spotted dick mob suddenly decamped from Spain and Hong Kong and set up camp here.

Before you knew it there were mobs of barely dressed yobs gargling beer and yelling at telly.

Gimme the Yanks anytime,

ANYTIME.

"Sometimes, 'fuggedabowdit' just means fuggedabowdit."

[Donnie Brasco]

If there's one notable difference between the 2 groups it is that Brits go to beer bars and Go Go bars in droves and enjoy a drink and a laugh talking with the girls. With the Russians you almost never see them in beer bars or Go Go bars, why would that be?

Have you noticed the Russian women they bring with them? The Russian girls I've seen are pretty hot

Nice to see we're all getting over that shopworn babushka trope we used to see a lot of ;-)

"Sometimes, 'fuggedabowdit' just means fuggedabowdit."