Walter Travolta Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 I first came to Pattaya in 2013 for 1 month, same again a year later and this year for 6 months. I have noticed each year that there seem to be less Russians blocking the streets, shouting and staggering around drunk, and less of them in the shopping malls. I do not travel to Jomtien which is where they seemed to reside so could not comment on that, but Central Pattaya seemed to have had quite a substantial drop in their existence! Also I noticed during my 6 months the ruble was 0.5 or 0.6 to the baht. Can anyone enlighten me on what this exchange rate was when the Russians were rolling in it? Not a great topic of discussion but it has crossed my mind on the odd occasion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satcommlee Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 They used to get 100 baht for 100 Rubles.. now they get 50 baht for 100 rubles.. or thereabouts... its cut thier numbers considerably Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Da, noticeably fewer Russians since the ruble crash and Putin propaganda is promoting holidays in Crimea, but still I think a more accurate picture of how dramatic the downturn won't be fully visible until the winter season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Travolta Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 I was thinking of buying a condo now they have left but would more than likely end up with Chinese or Korean neighbours now haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Travolta Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. which is the tops market? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendejo Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 http://www.view-talay-pattaya.com/tops-super-market-pattaya/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukecan Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 It turned out to be a smart investment for the russians who snapped up property here, now they're house is at least worth 2x more in rubles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jiu-Jitsu Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 (edited) http://www.view-talay-pattaya.com/tops-super-market-pattaya/ Wrong one. Edited August 28, 2015 by Jiu-Jitsu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Da, noticeably fewer Russians since the ruble crash and Putin propaganda is promoting holidays in Crimea, but still I think a more accurate picture of how dramatic the downturn won't be fully visible until the winter season. Crimea is surely nice in Summer but cold in winter....so yes wait for winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i claudius Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It turned out to be a smart investment for the russians who snapped up property here, now they're house is at least worth 2x more in rubles. You hit the nail on the head my wife sold one yesterday ,he is over the moon ,but there are lots of Russian owned condoes coming on at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaoboi Bebobp Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. which is the tops market? If he's talking about the TOPS supermarket at Second Rd and Klang, it will be closing forever this month. It's in another thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimmer Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Troll posts removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DD13 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 (edited) I was thinking of buying a condo now they have left but would more than likely end up with Chinese or Korean neighbours now hahajNot sure about the Chinese......given the "state of play" in China at this time..but if they do, they tend to keep themselves to theirselves.......which is a bonus in a condo, or otherwise Definitely not as loud and rude as the Russians I have come across here (Sorry to the well behaved Russians) Edited August 29, 2015 by DD13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoker58 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It turned out to be a smart investment for the russians who snapped up property here, now they're house is at least worth 2x more in rubles. Only if they can sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenail Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. which is the tops market? The cashiers at all of the Tops Grocery stores unfortunately need to be trained in customer service. I have stopped shopping at Tops at Central and at the mini-mart Tops at Markland Shopping Plaza and they do not greet you with a HELLO or smile... very dismal. I think many regulars in Pattaya go to Foodland or Best Grocery store to feel welcomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toenail Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It turned out to be a smart investment for the russians who snapped up property here, now they're house is at least worth 2x more in rubles. You hit the nail on the head my wife sold one yesterday ,he is over the moon ,but there are lots of Russian owned condoes coming on at the moment. ???????????? I do not understand how it is worth more in rubles. Please explain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petermik Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. Be quick then its closing in a couple of days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bardeh Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It turned out to be a smart investment for the russians who snapped up property here, now they're house is at least worth 2x more in rubles. You hit the nail on the head my wife sold one yesterday ,he is over the moon ,but there are lots of Russian owned condoes coming on at the moment. ???????????? I do not understand how it is worth more in rubles. Please explain. He bought when the ruble was worth much more, then it crashed a few months back, now he's sold it and his baht will get him many more roubles than he originally invested. Whether or not those roubles will have anywhere near the same purchasing power that they used to is another matter though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfinglife Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I used to occasionally "entertain" some buxom Syberian Olgas eager for a holiday romance. Now back to the Issan staple....miss the buxom part sometimes so let's hope rouble recovers a tad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theswedishguy Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I have been in Patts last 17 months. There are few less Russians. But still a ton of them. During summer its India Invasion and for me at least, they are a lot more annoying. BTW. Not only Rubles "crashed". Sweden/Norway 30-40% less worth. Euro 25%+ Dont blame Putin. Blame the financial market that moves money freely. All countries devaluate at the end only making the rich, richer. (and the insane thing is: If I take out/transfer over 2500 euro from Sweden to Thai = I have to explain to the government what I am doing with the money. At the same time the rich transfers hundred of millions and they don't have to explain. To bad to many people believe propaganda/western controlled press and blame for example Evil Putin instead of the PTB) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpcoe Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. which is the tops market? If he's talking about the TOPS supermarket at Second Rd and Klang, it will be closing forever this month. It's in another thread. Do you have a link to that thread? I'm hopeless with forum searches. The most recent Tops-related ones I found were from early to mid-2014, and mention nothing about the Tops on Second Road an Pattaya Klang closing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masuk Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I was thinking of buying a condo now they have left but would more than likely end up with Chinese or Korean neighbours now haha Last year I was staying at the Chinese tropical island of Hainan. One particularly nice beach had a semi circle of high rise apartments going up, obviously planning for 1000s of Russians. Menus were giving prices in roubles and RMB, and were staggeringly high. Signs were like Jom Tien - Russian language everywhere. But - no Russians. Putin seems to have wrecked a good few tourist schemes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little mary sunshine Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I wondered why it is so much nicer shopping, no one Cutting in front of me!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbirds20 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 The Russians never did stay in the Pattaya Central area. You would only see them in that area during the day, but they chose to sleep in one of three locales, ... Wongamat, Pratumnak and Jomtien Beach. I live in Jomtien Beach Condominiums and can tell you there are still lots of Russians here! I go to the swimming pool and gym here and they outnumber every other nationality combined, including Thais! They are rude, inconsiderate and disrespectful. Why Thailand makes them more welcome than other nationalities is way beyond me! They come here because the can come without a visa, ... not many places will allow them to do that. Even with the drop in exchange rate, it is still cheaper for them to come here, ....sunny, warm weather, palm trees, sandy beaches, ...... but you never see a Russian in Isaan, Chiang Mai, or even in Bangkok. They flock to the beaches and take over. Every time a Thai business closes, a Russian one opens in it's place! They do not respect Thai Customs or Culture and do not even like Thai people. Take a look at Walking Street,..one of the most Infamous Streets in the world, for many years, .... you never see a bar with Japanese girls, or Korean girls, or Australian girls, or European girls, or American girls, or African girls, or Arab girls, .. but now there is no less than 7 Russian Bars, ..... Many Farang have given up in disgust and left, never to return. I sat at an outdoor bar in Walking Street and watched people walking by, ... Thousands of Chinese, ..in groups of 25 to 50, following a guide with a flag held high on a stick. They rubberneck, take photos and leave, .... they aren't supporting Thai businesses, even moreso than the Russians, ..but this is the tourists Thailand is trying to draw here now. 1,000,000 Chinese expected next month alone! In 15 minutes of watching people go by, I saw 5, ..that is right 5 (five) Farang walk by. The demographic of tourism has drastically changed but I bet the revenue is doen even though the number of visitors is up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Yeah but Jomtien Beach Condominiums is a Russian hub. On the baht buses, I've noticed a dramatic decline in Russian numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ling Kae Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 The Russians never did stay in the Pattaya Central area. You would only see them in that area during the day, but they chose to sleep in one of three locales, ... Wongamat, Pratumnak and Jomtien Beach. I live in Jomtien Beach Condominiums and can tell you there are still lots of Russians here! I go to the swimming pool and gym here and they outnumber every other nationality combined, including Thais! They are rude, inconsiderate and disrespectful. Why Thailand makes them more welcome than other nationalities is way beyond me! They come here because the can come without a visa, ... not many places will allow them to do that. Even with the drop in exchange rate, it is still cheaper for them to come here, ....sunny, warm weather, palm trees, sandy beaches, ...... but you never see a Russian in Isaan, Chiang Mai, or even in Bangkok. They flock to the beaches and take over. Every time a Thai business closes, a Russian one opens in it's place! They do not respect Thai Customs or Culture and do not even like Thai people. Take a look at Walking Street,..one of the most Infamous Streets in the world, for many years, .... you never see a bar with Japanese girls, or Korean girls, or Australian girls, or European girls, or American girls, or African girls, or Arab girls, .. but now there is no less than 7 Russian Bars, ..... Many Farang have given up in disgust and left, never to return. I sat at an outdoor bar in Walking Street and watched people walking by, ... Thousands of Chinese, ..in groups of 25 to 50, following a guide with a flag held high on a stick. They rubberneck, take photos and leave, .... they aren't supporting Thai businesses, even moreso than the Russians, ..but this is the tourists Thailand is trying to draw here now. 1,000,000 Chinese expected next month alone! In 15 minutes of watching people go by, I saw 5, ..that is right 5 (five) Farang walk by. The demographic of tourism has drastically changed but I bet the revenue is doen even though the number of visitors is up! Good observations there and agree with most of what you say. There's still the odd Russian couple walking around these days but not like they use to be. If you want to see farangs handg out in Soi LK Metro, there's hundreds of them there, New Plaza and soi 6 is other places full of farangs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorB Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Drop in on the food court at the Tops Market in central Pattaya and see how many are there. The Ruskies love the place. Be quick then its closing in a couple of days Actually I think he probably means the basement food court next to the Tops supermarket in Central Festival at Soi 9, Second Road. That place was always heaving with them in the past. Bear in mind also that it is usually said that the Russians who come to Pattaya are Siberians, and given the winter temperatures in Siberia (-20 or so) it makes sense to come then rather than in summer. So wait and see what their numbers are like in January/February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ling Kae Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I keep hearing about the so called coming collapse of the condo market due to the Russians leaving and been desperate for a sale. But for some reason the prices are still not coming down. Oh well I just take the words of the doomsday merchants and hope and wish for such a day that I can buy a half price condo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 That's a Central Food Hall, not a regular Tops. Yes the food court down there is normally a major Russian hub as well, but recently noticeably less so. I agree wait for winter. Then we'll see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now