Russian demand to drive increase in Phuket-bound flights

Russians are returning to Phuket, officials confirmed. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: The island will reportedly be doubling its weekly flights to and from St Petersburg, Russia, due to a sharp increase in demand, a national-level government spokesperson said.

During last week’s Thailand-Russia aviation conference held by the Ministry of Transportation in Bangkok, officials agreed to increase the overall weekly flights between Thailand and Russia from 42 to 70, Deputy Spokesman Maj Gen Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told The Nation.

“Moreover, Russian representatives have also requested to redirect a daily Chiang Mai flight to Krabi,” he added.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Russian-demand-drive-increase-Phuketbound-flights/63263?desktopversion

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-02-27

Phuket is a great place to escape the cold winters in S. Petersburg. Lovely city with one of the best museums in the world.

Tanks for tourists? Nice trade deal.

I guess the Russian's are back .....

Phuket is a great place to escape the cold winters in S. Petersburg. Lovely city with one of the best museums in the world.

The Patong nightlife museum ?

Well they can soon close the Patong is dead thread, but with the rouble so low will demand eventuate .

nothing to see or do in Hua Hin. Boring. Terrible beach. Don't come here. Check Point Charlie. You are now entering the Allied zone. Turn around. Go back.

Da sveedaneeya.

What a load of BS Russia's 2016 economic growth estimation has decreased from 0.3 percent to -1.3 percent, while this rate is expected to decrease from 1.8 percent to 1 percent for 2017. long recession for Russia also could he not come up with something better ? However, there has been no confirmation of the dates, times or airlines for the additional flights, explained Somsak Pakdeerak, deputy president of the Phuket International Airport administration department. “We are coordinating with Russian officials to chalk out the new weekly schedules,” he said.

Fantastic!! Now if only we can think how to get all the chinese who come to Pattaya to go there too!

If this drives out at least some of the Chinese, welcome beautiful Russian girls

The aviation industry is complaining about Thai aviation standards,

Have you seen some of the old Russian classic planes.

Aeroflot they actually rattle & thats on the outside!!!!!

Capt. Vasili Borodin: I will live in Pattaya. And I will marry a round Thai woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me. And I will have a pickup truck... maybe even a "recreational vehicle." And drive from province to province. Do they let you do that?

Captain Ramius: I suppose.

Capt. Vasili Borodin: No papers?

Captain Ramius: No papers, province to province.

Capt. Vasili Borodin: Well then, in winter I will live in... Phuket. Actually, I think I will need two wives.

Captain Ramius: Oh, at least.

they dont come Chiang Mai ?

Good

the season will be calm and pleasant

Why not, if they believe they can handle double the trouble...

The aviation industry is complaining about Thai aviation standards,

Have you seen some of the old Russian classic planes.

Aeroflot they actually rattle & thats on the outside!!!!!

Not so bad nowadays..........International flights pretty good standard maintained.........Domestic/internal flights do still have some of the old Tupolev boneshakers in action

Those lucky, lucky Islanders!

I think that those "airliners" will scedule the maintenance of their "planes" in Thailand.

Much cheaper and easier than in Russia, using Thai maintenance and repair men.

Russians no longer go to Turkey or Egypt, so Thailand is back on the travel cards

Russians can't vacation in Turkey any more, soooo....Turkey, Thailand, both start with a 'T'. OK! To Thailand for vacation.

"I hear have Russian go-go girl in Phuket. Boris enjoy Sasha and Nakita pole dance very much!"

Phuket is a great place to escape the cold winters in S. Petersburg. Lovely city with one of the best museums in the world.

The Patong nightlife museum ?

Sorry! I meant St. Petersburg! Apologies!!!!!!!!!

There will always be at least a few Russians with money and now the usual St Petersburg

warm weather destinations of Egypt (all of North Africa actually) and Turkey are closed down

it was always expected there would be extra Western Russia tourist traffic headed to Thailand.

Of course not to the levels it was before the rouble melt down but an up tic.

Phuket is a great place to escape the cold winters in S. Petersburg. Lovely city with one of the best museums in the world.

now phuket will be the best place to avoid. In my opinion is a sxxxhole anyway. The worst Thai's in LOS live in phuket. far too aggresive.

But don't the Russians already unofficially run Phuket ?

I don't think russian demand for Thailand is increasing, what I think is that flight to bangkok are going to change destination to phuket, same as the do say about redirecting from chiang mai to krabi. Russians seem to be interested only in beach tourism, and as the ruble is so depreciated, the ones going there go right to the place, the beach, instead of traveling to bangkok first.

In Egypt russians used to fly directly to the beaches and if they visited El Cairo was on a one day trip, I think they are repeating this scheme here in Thailand. So I don't expect more russians getting there, but all of them concentrated in Patong beach, so they spend less money.

But of course thais sell the news as if things were getting better, instead of what I actually think they are ...

By doing so, Thailand could double the number of unpleasant vodka quaffers.

I guess the Russian's are back .....

You are right, because they don't go to Egypt and Turkey anymore because of political tensions.

I guess the Russian's are back .....

You are right, because they don't go to Egypt and Turkey anymore because of political tensions.

But their rubles don't go so far in Phuket compared with Egypt and Turkey. Time will tell ...

As another poster suggested this is mainly just publicity and to reassure the tourist markets. The number of flights probably won't actually increase until the next European winter.

The increase in flights to Thailand does probably only happen because 2 main destinations are closed for travelling now (prohibited to sell tours even via third/transit countries): Egypt and Turkey. For summer there are planned almost the same number of flights both to Phuket and Bangkok (almost half to half) as for winter season. Though the economical situation in Russia is not good (and no improvement is expected in the near future, only growing number of poor people and increase of jobless, unstable weak rouble) so any development and changes of plans are yet possible..

Fantastic!! Now if only we can think how to get all the chinese who come to Pattaya to go there too!

I rather deal with a bus load of Chinese than have same amount of Russians who take up driving scooters!....look at nature, groups are easier to handle.

I have yet to see any topless Chinese males....only seen overweight pale white male Russians in shopping malls..

Chinese do have culture and respect in belief system here in Thailand.

Enough said... we as x pat have to adapt to this influx of Chinese and hope Russians holidays are in Kho Samui and Phuket.