“Zombie” Russians cause havoc at Jomtien Beach Restaurant

[JHolmesJr]

Thats frackin hilarious!

[onemorechang]

Now we know why all the cops and Army come to Jomten on Saturday.

It was the latest Zombie Crack Down.

Hope they Crack Down hard, on those naughty Zombies .

[diehard60]

Typical ruskies acting like the fools they are. And to think the thai government wants to get next to Russia??????

[PattayaAl]

Nah, out of experience, the bigger and taller they are, the higher and harder they fall......

Nothing to do about size, it is all about the tools you use and how you use them.

And those chairs looked like a pretty good tool...

Sooo, not man enough to go hand to hand?

[paz]

Had this been my business- I would have intervened in a way the perpetrators may not have expected and they would never try this stuff again. A crime was committed- people lost belongings and the restaurant lost business. they should have been arrested immediately and ordered to pay compensation. This is not funny in any way as it affects the lives of others directly.

Simply a bunch of ignorant and selfish foreigners- no wonder Thais are so suspicious of foreigners.

Drop it. Intervene "your way" and chances are you could regret it.

[paz]

Nah, out of experience, the bigger and taller they are, the higher and harder they fall......

Nothing to do about size, it is all about the tools you use and how you use them.

And those chairs looked like a pretty good tool...

Another armchair justice maker and chair-attacker ahahaha

[NCC1701A]

"At this point, the restaurant was emptied of customers, who left in fear, and many forgot to take their personal belongings with them."

[berybert]

No, I don't think it is the same thing. Anyone dressed as an Arab and pretending to throw a bomb should be arrested and prosecuted and most likely given a jail sentence. Where is the humor in scaring people to the point they could be inured or die from fright? The guys pretending to be Zombies should be arrested, fined and ordered to compensate the owner for lost business. However, if the owner or others decided to hand out some street justice to the Zombies I sure as hell would not protest. People these days do not want to take responsibility for their actions. When you mess with fire- don't be upset when you get burned If people can not discern what is right and wrong - and they try and bring chaos into someone else's life- they deserve the result. In all of the years I have been in Thailand- I have never seen a Thai person do what these people did. Thais dot not think well of foreigners and this is a perfect example of why that is.I am tired of having to make excuses to my Thai friends and family on why Western people do not respect Thailand's traditions and act out constantly in ways which are offensive.

Why do you spend time making excuses for other peoples behaviour ?

Do you also make excuses for Thai's who shoot at cops after stealing a necklace, or would you expect your Thai friends to make excuses for those people.

Or do you put things like that down to culture and tradition ?

[thairay]

I was really scared for a minute,even reading the post made me turn on the light.i am glad someone explained it was a joke as i would not go there if they were real zombies

[radiochaser]

The owner of the Surf Bakery, a very good friend of mine, has good connections with the Pattaya Mayor and all the local governors, having served on the council previously. He is/was also the coach of the Thai Windsurfing Team based at Jomtien.

As such, he has many people he can call upon to find these Russian gangsters and mete out "appropriate" justice. The police, based just a couple hundred metres away, clearly did not want to know!

Gangsters? Lol

Yes , high ranking officials are usually good friends with foreigners .

Now back to real world

You mean, the friend of the family, who I met before I married into the family, who after working in the Thai government since 1987 and is now an assistant to a senior Thai government official, is not my friend?

Gee, after taking me on vacations with he and his wife, giving me gifts, paying for airline tickets for me, etc. He sure has me fooled.

All this time I thought we were friends!

[Mot Dang]

Bloody Ruskie nutters. Anywhere else in the sane world they would have been charged with affray, or being a public nuisance. Anywhere else in the sane world the proprietor of the restaurant would have demanded action against these idiots for loss of business, and had the right to do so.

The fall of the Ruble ? Please hurry.

Have you never seen a prank TV show? These things do go on in other parts of the world, and guess what, they do not get charged with affray and they do not get sued, do you know why? It's because most people can see the funny side of comedy. Never mind mate.

Guess I just don't like these people. I recently had a family dinner at a seafood restaurant in Jomtien completely stuffed up by a group of drunken filthy Chinese men. Not only ruined our night but dozens of others, mostly Thai. We had planned that night for a while. Thais now have a very grubby view on falang now, and just remember MOST Thai don't work in bars so I not talking about that side of the populace. My parents in law came done from up country and were aghast at the behavior they saw regarding the Chinese. There was no comedy here.

This crap with these Ruskies doesn't help. But how can that concern you, you don't live in Thailand, nor would I think you have ever been here. Your attitude for an expat living in Thailand is all wrong. Expats living in Thailand (except Russians ie) try to blend in. How many people had their night ruined because of these Russian half-wits. I cant see the comedy here either. But I'm sure that you would never mind either.

1. Since when Chinese became farangs?

2. Since when folks from " upcountry " developed any social skills

3. You have no idea what Thai think, you only state what your inlaws from "upcountry" may have shared with you and their opinion about foreigners may have been formed when they met you not when they came to restaurant which they would never visit otherwise .

I have lived in the Kingdom for 34 years, married with a large family. I spend close to 2 million a year helping the disadvantaged in the Buriram panhandle. I have house in Buriram and a condo in Pattaya. My roots run deep in the country.

1. Chinese are not farang, and taking that meaning from what I have written is deliberate and wrong.

2, Saying that people from upcountry have no social skills is blatantly racist. In my family I have local council administrators, school teachers, including a headmaster and employees of multinationals. My own son is a double degree engineer working in BKK. I am a manufacturing pharmacist. Apart from bar fly what are you qualifications ?

3. I speak fluent Thai and some Lao, I also live with my in-laws, we speak openly and honestly in the family. The is no BS.

You have no original thought or constructive information in this conversation. I think YOU are what is wrong with the image that Thais have regarding falang. Why in Gods name you are here (?) I don't know.

[mike324]

lucky they weren't surrounded by locals...there was probably more tourists in that place

[Morakot]

Russians !

Edited February 22, 2016 by Morakot

[spidermike007]

Very dumb, and very poorly executed game, and charade they were playing. Thais have a wonderful sense of humor, but I guess they did not see the humor in this, once their restaurant cleared out. What hooligans. I have run into some very, very ignorant Russians on Samui, in the past. But, these guys are taking it to another level. Some of us are quite thankful for the devaluation of the ruble!

I for one, do not miss them. I will take the Chinese tourists, over the Russians any day of the work. Most of the Chinese are fairly pleasant, and jovial. Not so with most Russians. Dour, on their best days.

[spidermike007]

Bloody Ruskie nutters. Anywhere else in the sane world they would have been charged with affray, or being a public nuisance. Anywhere else in the sane world the proprietor of the restaurant would have demanded action against these idiots for loss of business, and had the right to do so.

The fall of the Ruble ? Please hurry.

Have you never seen a prank TV show? These things do go on in other parts of the world, and guess what, they do not get charged with affray and they do not get sued, do you know why? It's because most people can see the funny side of comedy. Never mind mate.

Guess I just don't like these people. I recently had a family dinner at a seafood restaurant in Jomtien completely stuffed up by a group of drunken filthy Chinese men. Not only ruined our night but dozens of others, mostly Thai. We had planned that night for a while. Thais now have a very grubby view on falang now, and just remember MOST Thai don't work in bars so I not talking about that side of the populace. My parents in law came done from up country and were aghast at the behavior they saw regarding the Chinese. There was no comedy here.

This crap with these Ruskies doesn't help. But how can that concern you, you don't live in Thailand, nor would I think you have ever been here. Your attitude for an expat living in Thailand is all wrong. Expats living in Thailand (except Russians ie) try to blend in. How many people had their night ruined because of these Russian half-wits. I cant see the comedy here either. But I'm sure that you would never mind either.

1. Since when Chinese became farangs?

2. Since when folks from " upcountry " developed any social skills

3. You have no idea what Thai think, you only state what your inlaws from "upcountry" may have shared with you and their opinion about foreigners may have been formed when they met you not when they came to restaurant which they would never visit otherwise .

First of all, Chinese are not farangs. Only Westerners are. No Asians are farangs. To say none of the rural people from Thailand (your reference to upcountry) have social skills is inane, ignorant, racist, and hateful. Are you a Trump supporter, by any chance? I would wager on it. I have met many people from upcountry that are delightful, kind, polite, respectful, and simply blow away many of the "civilized" people I have met in the west, on many levels.

And in your opinion people from the NE and the north never eat out at restaurants? Who are you? Did you ever go to school? Do you travel much? Do you get out of the house much? Why such massive generalizations about 25 million people, most of whom are quite lovely? What's up with that?

[torpedo1970]

Nah, out of experience, the bigger and taller they are, the higher and harder they fall......

Nothing to do about size, it is all about the tools you use and how you use them.

And those chairs looked like a pretty good tool...

Sooo, not man enough to go hand to hand?

Note to self:

[PattayaAl]

First of all, Chinese are not farangs. Only Westerners are. No Asians are farangs. To say none of the rural people from Thailand (your reference to upcountry) have social skills is inane, ignorant, racist, and hateful. Are you a Trump supporter, by any chance? I would wager on it. I have met many people from upcountry that are delightful, kind, polite, respectful, and simply blow away many of the "civilized" people I have met in the west, on many levels.

And in your opinion people from the NE and the north never eat out at restaurants? Who are you? Did you ever go to school? Do you travel much? Do you get out of the house much? Why such massive generalizations about 25 million people, most of whom are quite lovely? What's up with that?

1. I suggest you put on your reading glasses and try to follow.

I did not say Chinese were farang,

Secondly, yes, peasants from farms do not have social skills. Just because you can not tell the difference, it does not make it true, ignorant or racist.

Just because Trump has bigger eggs than you to speak the truth, also does not make him ignorant or racist.

Being delightful, kind and polite has no relevance to having social skills and if you do not understand that, clearly there is not much else can be said or added.

As for your assumption of what i have done, i can assure you, i do more in one day that you do in a month:thumbsup:

And unlike you, i can do little more than exchange silly smiles, must have something to do with speaking pretty good Thai, having moved to Thailand at the age of 20.

Though no doubt you speak fluent having moved and learned at the age of 50? 60?

[spidermike007]

First of all, Chinese are not farangs. Only Westerners are. No Asians are farangs. To say none of the rural people from Thailand (your reference to upcountry) have social skills is inane, ignorant, racist, and hateful. Are you a Trump supporter, by any chance? I would wager on it. I have met many people from upcountry that are delightful, kind, polite, respectful, and simply blow away many of the "civilized" people I have met in the west, on many levels.

And in your opinion people from the NE and the north never eat out at restaurants? Who are you? Did you ever go to school? Do you travel much? Do you get out of the house much? Why such massive generalizations about 25 million people, most of whom are quite lovely? What's up with that?

1. I suggest you put on your reading glasses and try to follow.

I did not say Chinese were farang,

Secondly, yes, peasants from farms do not have social skills. Just because you can not tell the difference, it does not make it true, ignorant or racist.

Just because Trump has bigger eggs than you to speak the truth, also does not make him ignorant or racist.

Being delightful, kind and polite has no relevance to having social skills and if you do not understand that, clearly there is not much else can be said or added.

As for your assumption of what i have done, i can assure you, i do more in one day that you do in a month:thumbsup:

And unlike you, i can do little more than exchange silly smiles, must have something to do with speaking pretty good Thai, having moved to Thailand at the age of 20.

Though no doubt you speak fluent having moved and learned at the age of 50? 60?

I am not going to engage in an argument over who's life is of greater importance, and who accomplishes more in one day. I will leave that level of pettiness to the man children, like Trump. From my point of view, he is perhaps one of the most petty individuals living in the US today. From my point of view, that quality is a result of tremendous ignorance. As to the racism, his speeches speak for themselves. He is not only a racist, he is also a xenophobe, and a bigot, of monumental proportions.

You know nothing of me, and you have judged me just as harshly as you have judged 25 million Thais who live upcountry. Social skills are an attribute that could be debated all day long. Many would argue that a percentage of the people living in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Korat, Chaiyaphum, Udon Thani, Mukdahan and many of the other upcountry spots you refer to have significant levels of sophistication, and social skills beyond those of the average ex-pat living in Pattaya, which is not exactly what most of us would refer to as a bastion of sophistication and a population with great social skills! Beating out that population is not a hard thing to do! I have seen levels of sophistication in Chiang Mai that I have never seen in my many trips to Pattaya, over many years. Now, had you been more specific, and said something like "many farmers in Issan", that might have had a different meaning, than classifying all of the 25 to 30 million people in Issan and the north, which is what is commonly referred to as upcountry, and including the entire ex-pat population in your fabulously general and ill willed statement.

Let us not forget there are many wealthy families, many who have lived and traveled overseas, many who have studied at University, and otherwise gained social skills, living in the upcountry area you seem to disregard and dismiss with such contempt. Here is a good definition of social skills, by a psychologist who is quoted in Psychology Today. It may be a slightly different version than what you see from your ex-pat friends, and local tourists in Pattaya, on a daily basis.

There are a lot of different definitions of social skills, but I think of them as the abilities necessary to get along with others and to create and maintain satisfying relationships. The exuberant, extraverted style of interacting that tends to be valued highly in American society is not necessarily the best or the only way to relate to others. A quieter style of relating can also be very healthy. Social skills are about being able to flexibly adjust our behavior to fit a particular situation and our personal needs and desires.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201108/what-are-social-skills

Edited February 22, 2016 by spidermike007

[Rimmer]

All of this is getting way off topic, personal and heated, further off topic posts will be removed:

"Zombie” Russians cause havoc at Jomtien Beach Restaurant

[bamukloy]

Love it! But the Thai's overactive imagination would think it's for real......

Messed up business for the night. Breach of the peace. Scum!

+1

Absolutely, deserves a slap. how many people will not go back there now

because of this toss pot.

If what you say is true then it sound like the customer is even more idiotic than these fools.

Maybe a good thing if they really to scared to go back

if they believe in zombies then maybe best they stay at home or somewhere under supervision

[balo]

What were they doing in a restaurant? 7-11s all closed??

They escaped the bill by pretending to be zoombies , or am I missing something ?

[Skeptic7]

"Frussians". Nuff said...

[PattayaAl]

First of all, Chinese are not farangs. Only Westerners are. No Asians are farangs. To say none of the rural people from Thailand (your reference to upcountry) have social skills is inane, ignorant, racist, and hateful. Are you a Trump supporter, by any chance? I would wager on it. I have met many people from upcountry that are delightful, kind, polite, respectful, and simply blow away many of the "civilized" people I have met in the west, on many levels.

And in your opinion people from the NE and the north never eat out at restaurants? Who are you? Did you ever go to school? Do you travel much? Do you get out of the house much? Why such massive generalizations about 25 million people, most of whom are quite lovely? What's up with that?

1. I suggest you put on your reading glasses and try to follow.

I did not say Chinese were farang,

Secondly, yes, peasants from farms do not have social skills. Just because you can not tell the difference, it does not make it true, ignorant or racist.

Just because Trump has bigger eggs than you to speak the truth, also does not make him ignorant or racist.

Being delightful, kind and polite has no relevance to having social skills and if you do not understand that, clearly there is not much else can be said or added.

As for your assumption of what i have done, i can assure you, i do more in one day that you do in a month:thumbsup:

And unlike you, i can do little more than exchange silly smiles, must have something to do with speaking pretty good Thai, having moved to Thailand at the age of 20.

Though no doubt you speak fluent having moved and learned at the age of 50? 60?

I am not going to engage in an argument over who's life is of greater importance, and who accomplishes more in one day. I will leave that level of pettiness to the man children, like Trump. From my point of view, he is perhaps one of the most petty individuals living in the US today. From my point of view, that quality is a result of tremendous ignorance. As to the racism, his speeches speak for themselves. He is not only a racist, he is also a xenophobe, and a bigot, of monumental proportions.

You know nothing of me, and you have judged me just as harshly as you have judged 25 million Thais who live upcountry. Social skills are an attribute that could be debated all day long. Many would argue that a percentage of the people living in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Korat, Chaiyaphum, Udon Thani, Mukdahan and many of the other upcountry spots you refer to have significant levels of sophistication, and social skills beyond those of the average ex-pat living in Pattaya, which is not exactly what most of us would refer to as a bastion of sophistication and a population with great social skills! Beating out that population is not a hard thing to do! I have seen levels of sophistication in Chiang Mai that I have never seen in my many trips to Pattaya, over many years. Now, had you been more specific, and said something like "many farmers in Issan", that might have had a different meaning, than classifying all of the 25 to 30 million people in Issan and the north, which is what is commonly referred to as upcountry, and including the entire ex-pat population in your fabulously general and ill willed statement.

Let us not forget there are many wealthy families, many who have lived and traveled overseas, many who have studied at University, and otherwise gained social skills, living in the upcountry area you seem to disregard and dismiss with such contempt. Here is a good definition of social skills, by a psychologist who is quoted in Psychology Today. It may be a slightly different version than what you see from your ex-pat friends, and local tourists in Pattaya, on a daily basis.

There are a lot of different definitions of social skills, but I think of them as the abilities necessary to get along with others and to create and maintain satisfying relationships. The exuberant, extraverted style of interacting that tends to be valued highly in American society is not necessarily the best or the only way to relate to others. A quieter style of relating can also be very healthy. Social skills are about being able to flexibly adjust our behavior to fit a particular situation and our personal needs and desires.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201108/what-are-social-skills

Well if you not going to engage, than stop posting 3000 word drivel expecting someone to waste time reading it

Sorry to tell you but whatever happens in American society has little to do with Thailand or this topic.

By the way would be wise to know where Isaan is and what places are in Isaan.

Last time i checked Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai was not part of Isaan, but yes Isaan just a heaven on earth that produces top Thai's

By the way, did you know your neighbor to the north Canada has a TV show called Gag's, look it up, it is pranks just like this one and much worse https://www.google.co.th/search?q=gags+just+for+laughs&oq=gags&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j0l5.5845j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

[spidermike007]

First of all, Chinese are not farangs. Only Westerners are. No Asians are farangs. To say none of the rural people from Thailand (your reference to upcountry) have social skills is inane, ignorant, racist, and hateful. Are you a Trump supporter, by any chance? I would wager on it. I have met many people from upcountry that are delightful, kind, polite, respectful, and simply blow away many of the "civilized" people I have met in the west, on many levels.

And in your opinion people from the NE and the north never eat out at restaurants? Who are you? Did you ever go to school? Do you travel much? Do you get out of the house much? Why such massive generalizations about 25 million people, most of whom are quite lovely? What's up with that?

1. I suggest you put on your reading glasses and try to follow.

I did not say Chinese were farang,

Secondly, yes, peasants from farms do not have social skills. Just because you can not tell the difference, it does not make it true, ignorant or racist.

Just because Trump has bigger eggs than you to speak the truth, also does not make him ignorant or racist.

Being delightful, kind and polite has no relevance to having social skills and if you do not understand that, clearly there is not much else can be said or added.

As for your assumption of what i have done, i can assure you, i do more in one day that you do in a month:thumbsup:

And unlike you, i can do little more than exchange silly smiles, must have something to do with speaking pretty good Thai, having moved to Thailand at the age of 20.

Though no doubt you speak fluent having moved and learned at the age of 50? 60?

I am not going to engage in an argument over who's life is of greater importance, and who accomplishes more in one day. I will leave that level of pettiness to the man children, like Trump. From my point of view, he is perhaps one of the most petty individuals living in the US today. From my point of view, that quality is a result of tremendous ignorance. As to the racism, his speeches speak for themselves. He is not only a racist, he is also a xenophobe, and a bigot, of monumental proportions.

You know nothing of me, and you have judged me just as harshly as you have judged 25 million Thais who live upcountry. Social skills are an attribute that could be debated all day long. Many would argue that a percentage of the people living in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Korat, Chaiyaphum, Udon Thani, Mukdahan and many of the other upcountry spots you refer to have significant levels of sophistication, and social skills beyond those of the average ex-pat living in Pattaya, which is not exactly what most of us would refer to as a bastion of sophistication and a population with great social skills! Beating out that population is not a hard thing to do! I have seen levels of sophistication in Chiang Mai that I have never seen in my many trips to Pattaya, over many years. Now, had you been more specific, and said something like "many farmers in Issan", that might have had a different meaning, than classifying all of the 25 to 30 million people in Issan and the north, which is what is commonly referred to as upcountry, and including the entire ex-pat population in your fabulously general and ill willed statement.

Let us not forget there are many wealthy families, many who have lived and traveled overseas, many who have studied at University, and otherwise gained social skills, living in the upcountry area you seem to disregard and dismiss with such contempt. Here is a good definition of social skills, by a psychologist who is quoted in Psychology Today. It may be a slightly different version than what you see from your ex-pat friends, and local tourists in Pattaya, on a daily basis.

There are a lot of different definitions of social skills, but I think of them as the abilities necessary to get along with others and to create and maintain satisfying relationships. The exuberant, extraverted style of interacting that tends to be valued highly in American society is not necessarily the best or the only way to relate to others. A quieter style of relating can also be very healthy. Social skills are about being able to flexibly adjust our behavior to fit a particular situation and our personal needs and desires.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201108/what-are-social-skills

Well if you not going to engage, than stop posting 3000 word drivel expecting someone to waste time reading it

Sorry to tell you but whatever happens in American society has little to do with Thailand or this topic.

By the way would be wise to know where Isaan is and what places are in Isaan.

Last time i checked Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai was not part of Isaan, but yes Isaan just a heaven on earth that produces top Thai's

By the way, did you know your neighbor to the north Canada has a TV show called Gag's, look it up, it is pranks just like this one and much worse https://www.google.co.th/search?q=gags+just+for+laughs&oq=gags&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j0l5.5845j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

I appreciate the word count. Thanks for that. The only reference to American society, was to compare social skill sets, and to use the quote from a known source on the subject. I too feel that what happens in the US, is of little relevance to the world, and certainly visa versa with regard to Thailand. I am quite familiar with Issan. However you used the word upcountry, which for most people means north of Bangkok. Perhaps you could have been more specific? Always a good quality for debate. Issan is quite special to many of us. It does produce some of the most charming women in the country, and most of the Issan people I have met remind me of people from the Midwest, in the US. Feet on the ground, hard working, productive, kind, generous, and noble on many levels. Though they are derided by many of the elite, and looked down upon by many, due to their relative lack of wealth, the World Bank considers Issan to be the fastest growing segment of the Thai economy, and their agricultural output represents a significant percent of the total national production. In addition to 43 technical and vocational institutions, they also are home to many good universities in Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Sakon Nakhon, and Maha Sarakham. So, you see they are not quite as illiterate, ignorant, and lacking in social skills as you may have thought.

That is the end of this discussion as far as I am concerned. Not many places it can go from here, that would be of interest. Good fortune to you.

[Ghostnigel]

Where are the" another nail in thailand tourism coffin posts"?. Lol

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

You were thinkng it, maybe you should be the first....

[copa8]

Bloody Ruskie nutters. Anywhere else in the sane world they would have been charged with affray, or being a public nuisance. Anywhere else in the sane world the proprietor of the restaurant would have demanded action against these idiots for loss of business, and had the right to do so.

The fall of the Ruble ? Please hurry.

Have you never seen a prank TV show? These things do go on in other parts of the world, and guess what, they do not get charged with affray and they do not get sued, do you know why? It's because most people can see the funny side of comedy. Never mind mate.

So what goes on in other parts of the world should be acceptable everywhere? Wigga please!

[little mary sunshine]

One of the all time stupid Russian stunts!!

[phycokiller]

they scared the children, naughty russians

[Shawn0001]

Bloody Ruskie nutters. Anywhere else in the sane world they would have been charged with affray, or being a public nuisance. Anywhere else in the sane world the proprietor of the restaurant would have demanded action against these idiots for loss of business, and had the right to do so.

The fall of the Ruble ? Please hurry.

Have you never seen a prank TV show? These things do go on in other parts of the world, and guess what, they do not get charged with affray and they do not get sued, do you know why? It's because most people can see the funny side of comedy. Never mind mate.

So what goes on in other parts of the world should be acceptable everywhere? Wigga please!

Did I say that? I made nonsense of the claim that, "anywhere else", this would not have been tolerated, I never said it should be acceptable everywhere, that was merely your imagination speaking.

[oldsailor35]

Regarding Russians not wanting to smile. One day i was having a coffee and started talking with a young Russian couple with a 4 yr old son. I remarked on the child's beautiful smile. The couple looked at each other and then the wife told me that they are a business couple living and working on Koh Samui. Because of their busy time they decided to take their son to a local Russian pre school. After a few weeks the principle called them in and said that sadly they would have to take their son out as he appeared to have a mental problem and that they were concerned for the other kids. after asking questions they were told that the child was not normal as he kept "smiling" and would not stop the habit when told, and that they needed to do something about it. The wife told me that kids are encouraged not to smile in Russia and this is how they grow up eventually finding it very hard to smile . Strange, but it certainly throws some light on the dour faced Russians that i come across in Thailand.