Will Pattaya Be Bereft Of Russians?

[alocacoc]

For the first time in months, I went to Central Festivaskaya Mall. Heard Russian everywhere and saw Russians everywhere. Was in JayMart. Only heard Russians speaking. Felt like I was the only farang in the mall. It was blonde hair as far as the eye could see. But it is that time of year when the winds and snows come a howling in their homeland.

Bye the way; Russians are also Farangs. If you like it or not.

[baruto]

There is a huge drop in Russian tourist numbers in Goa. Why Pattaya should be any different? In the last days the rouble has dropped even more sharply.

http://www.goanews.com/news_disp.php?newsid=5487

and

http://www.navhindtimes.in/tourism-hit-hard-by-russian-tourist-drop-lobo/

[Rangsitreppin]

one the big downshot is that your assumption is wrong. Russian travel agencies have secured the same prices in Rubles with Pattaya hotels, the charter airlines still charge the same amount of Rubles for airfare and the only loss for Russian visitors is caused by more expensive sundry expenses (which most of them can still afford).

summary: your obvious wishful thinking won't become reality

russian leaving pattaya ............. If heaven were a place on earth

[baruto]

Pattaya property market will also take a big hit. It is just a matter of some time (maybe 2-3 months). No new buyers from Russia plus failure to complete the planned purchases will be the reality.

[Skypattaya]

I live at VT-6 and this year the number of Russians that I see are way down. This time the last 4 years there was a steady stream of them walking and getting off of Baht Buses at Central (Sai 2). The food court was 95% Russians. It's only about 15% of what it used to be at this location. The ones missing are the younger couples who can no longer afford to come. I really miss the female ones that are 6 feet 2 inches tall and built like a brick S$%@house. They used to wear those cut off shorts we call "peepers" that show the bottom part of their buns. I kinda wish they would come back without their short boyfriends.

About the Pattaya property market, it is overdue for a correction. I expect at least a 50% drop in prices at VT-6 when I'll buy. I thought it would happen in 2010 so don't expect anything too soon.

[Jingthing]

I live at VT-6 and this year the number of Russians that I see are way down. This time the last 4 years there was a steady stream of them walking and getting off of Baht Buses at Central (Sai 2). The food court was 95% Russians. It's only about 15% of what it used to be at this location. The ones missing are the younger couples who can no longer afford to come. I really miss the female ones that are 6 feet 2 inches tall and built like a brick S$%@house. They used to wear those cut off shorts we call "peepers" that show the bottom part of their buns. I kinda wish they would come back without their short boyfriends.

About the Pattaya property market, it is overdue for a correction. I expect at least a 50% drop in prices at VT-6 when I'll buy. I thought it would happen in 2010 so don't expect anything too soon.

That's a bit of an exaggeration but I certainly agree the numbers really are down.

[Skypattaya]

My Thai wife is in the real estate business and sits in booths in Pattaya malls. What I said was pretty much what she tells me. Thanks for your reply.

[CarlTyson]

The ruble fell a whopping 11% on Monday. 48% depreciation on the year.

Say by by to our Russian visitors.

Putin is counting on the rebound in oil prices.

What can he do get the oil price to move? Sink a US Carrier in the Persian Gulf?

This could be dangerous.

Edited December 16, 2014 by CarlTyson

[Rimmer]

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[KhunBENQ]

The ruble fell a whopping 11% on Monday. 48% depreciation on the year.

Say by by to our Russian visitors.

Todays cash exchange rate: about 0.40 to 0.45 Baht for the Rubel.

Last year more than 0.90 Baht.

Thats a 100% (!) price rise (pocket money) for the Russian tourist in Thailand.

[Jingthing]

Just curious.

The Russians that ARE here ... and there are still many, I'm assuming the majority still love Putin as they are Russians and polls show most Russians love Putin.

Putin spouts an awful lot of anti-western propaganda ... about our "decadent" acceptance of gay people and also trying to paint westerners in the role of fascists against the Russians (resurrecting a heroic Stalinist past).

A lot of the fall of the ruble is related to western sanctions.

Do the Russian tourists here harbor hostility to westerners here over that?

Edited December 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[Banzai99]

They used to wear those cut off shorts we call "peepers" that show the bottom part of their buns. I kinda wish they would come back without their short boyfriends.

Why, do you think they'd miraculously start fancying overweight pensioners ?

[KhunBENQ]

Just curious.

The Russians that ARE here ... and there are still many, I'm assuming the majority still love Putin as they are Russians and polls show most Russians love Putin.

I guess many of them have booked their arrangement before the Rubel crisis began (most Russians are here on package tours and not as individual tourists). They book tours on a certain "star" level (3/4/5), not knowing which particular hotel they will end up (which opens some "margin for downgrade" by the tour agents ).

Also the prices of the tour agents do not follow the exchange rates in an instant.

But: if the Rubel does not get on its feet again, I expect significant downturn for next year/season.

And the Russians that are already here, are affected immediately (all goods/services 100% more expensive).

The upper level who does not care is a rare breed in Jomtien.

The majority will have to control their expenses even tighter.

Edited December 16, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[ExPratt]

Ruble dropped from 1.2 to 1.7 to Tb in 2 months and an interest rate of 17%, think their days in the Sun are going to be very limited now

[balo]

At this speed I suspect there will be no Russians left next year. Could also be big problems for other European nations, oil producing countries like Norway have lost about 20% to the dollar and baht. The prospects not looking good for 2015.

[SolarGolf]

1 THB = 2 rouble now. Complete crash today and interest rates are up to 17% there.

[balo]

1 THB = 2 rouble now. Complete crash today and interest rates are up to 17% there.

You'll only find Russians in 7 elevens and Tesco from now on , maybe they can afford to buy water and bread .

[champers]

If they are in a hotel where a breakfast buffet is included they will undoubtedly be giving it some hammer. I remember seeing a Russian bodybuilder type unashamedly help himself to about 10 eggs from the buffet, thus pi**ing off all those queuing behind him - he was too big to argue with.

[ExPratt]

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1 THB = 2 rouble now. Complete crash today and interest rates are up to 17% there.

Thats down heavily from yesterday again then. Gutted if they've booked a Christmas holiday back in the summer, lost knocking on 40% of its value

Edited December 16, 2014 by ExPratt

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 THB = 2 rouble now. Complete crash today and interest rates are up to 17% there.

You'll only find Russians in 7 elevens and Tesco from now on , maybe they can afford to buy water and bread .

7-11 too hi-so, water cost 10 baht for a small bottle there. I predict long lines of Ruskies filling up at the water machines around town, where it's 1-2 baht a litre ? As for bread...the same, more likely a family of four buys a 5 baht packet of Khow niow to share amoungst themselves along with a fried chicken wing.

It's really too bad for them really but that's what you get when you take on the United States...you get slapped down! They should never have vote in the Putin petty dictator.

[CarlTyson]

Putin is getting backed into a corner. Danger.

[ExPratt]

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Putin is getting backed into a corner. Danger.

Yes I recon he'll try to blame it all on sanctions , when Russia was only defending its pro-Russians in Ukraine. I'd bet my knackers he wont back down

[Jingthing]

It's getting bereftier every day now!

Edited December 16, 2014 by Jingthing

[Rimmer]

Off topic post removed

[Thailaw]

1 THB = 2 rouble now. Complete crash today and interest rates are up to 17% there.

You'll only find Russians in 7 elevens and Tesco from now on , maybe they can afford to buy water and bread .

I expect that the Russians that are able to afford to travel outside Russia have and have had for some time a stash of Dollars or accounts inside or outside Russia that are denominated in Dollars or Euros, and they will use these to fund their holidays abroad. I recently traveled with a Russian tourist who told me that all of his assets were in US Dollar. Russians will indeed be hurt financially if this continues, but I doubt that the effect has been felt by the majority of Russians traveling abroad yet. If this continues into 2016, I expect that Russians in Thailand will be as rare as Polar Bears in Miami. And while the sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and Europe have no doubt had some effect, the real damage to the Rubble has been caused by the precipitous decline in the price of oil. And that decline will not last indefinitely no matter what the west does about the sanctions. So, they'll be back.......

[tropo]

If they are in a hotel where a breakfast buffet is included they will undoubtedly be giving it some hammer. I remember seeing a Russian bodybuilder type unashamedly help himself to about 10 eggs from the buffet, thus pi**ing off all those queuing behind him - he was too big to argue with.

LOL. What's wrong with that? My mother in-law cooks me 10 eggs for breakfast...and I'm not even training.

[bartender100]

Putin is getting backed into a corner. Danger.

Russia’s defense spending will increase by 18% in 2014, and another 33% over the next two years.

http://thediplomat.com/2014/04/russian-military-spending-soars/

I don't believe he is that stupid to start anything, but you never know, if he attacked the west Poland would be first then Germany would have to be targeted, he would have to go though them first.Not going to happen

Would he use Nukes??? I think his generals would take him down first

[BernieOnTour]

I presume that many Russians who might have bought a condo will be having second thoughts if the price is double. Expect to see many develoments unfinished.

Looking around in Jomtien and Pratamnak, especially in the cheaper 1.2-2.0 mil segment, the Russians were by far the biggest clientele.

A lot of those apartments are occupied by Russian tourists, a lot of them not offered by the likes of AirBnB but via some Russian portals. (Eg. The View I would estimate >50, the brandnew Atlantis 70%. I assume in the "Russian Baracks" lining Jomtien Sai Song even higher). Most likely, many of those rents -similar to AirBnB- never show up in Thai Tax declarations, as they are charged in local currency -Rubel- and not affected by exchange rates.

[Jingthing]

The Thais always seem to figure out something.

So which nationalities (other than Chinese) will REPLACE these vanishing Russkies?

[BernieOnTour]

In the end the main problem - also for Westerners, who invested in those Russian dominated condominiums - will become the maintenance fees.

Acc. to a property agent, their payment performance was already far from excellent before, but with 50% less for the Rubel it will get even worse. Deduction from the resale price will not help either, the vicious circle of less demand, sinking prices and deterioration by missing maintenance in tropical climate will blow up a lot of high flying expectations on ROI.

Edited December 17, 2014 by BernieOnTour