Thailand expects 1 million Russian tourists in 2016

[Tomtomtom69]

Opposition to the Russian tourists has nothing to

Do with Putin or their government. It's the rude,

Loud drunks that make up a majority of these barely

Civilized people. Push you out of line at 7-11 or

The Malls and " I Russina go first". Sorry, you

NOTHING....go behind me!!

I've heard that too although I have never had any problems with Russian tourists. I was living in Nha Trang, Vietnam a few years ago and in that city there are/were even more Russians than anywhere in Thailand - everything was in Russian, all the restaurant menus, all the shop signs and unlike in Thailand, such as in Pattaya where you might find Arabic, Chinese and other languages, in Nha Trang (and Mui Ne) it's either English or Russian (in addition to the native Vietnamese language of course).

When I was there, Russians would sometimes be a bit pushy at the local minimarts, but never to the extent of pushing me out of line. Some Russians would even come up to me and speak to me in Russian, asking for directions and the like. The only really rude Russian I came across was a Russian expat who didn't like it when I parked in front of her shop. I told her off but then moved my bike to the front of the Italian restaurant I was having dinner at. The only really rude tourists that I found there were either Aussie or European, not Russian.

​I've noticed some of the same antics with the Chinese though (especially at the 7-11) - as I said before, the Russians are the European Chinese.

[Tomtomtom69]

This seems like wishful thinking. The rouble ain't going anywhere, oil prices are going to stay down - essentially Russia is getting poorer. What data are they basing this rose-coloured thinking I wonder?

Phuket certainly didn't see as many as two years ago this year that's for sure.

Nah this data is very plausible. Oil prices have already risen quite a bit since just a few months ago when for example here in Thailand diesel prices in Bangkok were around 20 Baht a liter at their lowest but have since risen to almost 24 Baht (23.94) since then. OK, for a more accurate comparison I'd better consider what the actual crude oil prices are in US$, but I couldn't be bothered checking that data now, so I think my example already proves my point.

So with that being said, Russian tourists are starting to return to Thailand (and the rest of the region), albeit slowly. However, 1 million is not a difficult number to reach, when you consider that last year there were still what 700-800 hundred thousand arrivals from Russia, still many times more than in 2007, when there were only like 125,000 a year.

Now if they were predicting 2 million Russian arrivals that would be a bit hard to believe, but 1 million is very plausible. Last year when I was in Phuket I saw plenty of Russians, though obviously not nearly as many as there were in 2013/14. But I have started to see more Russians this year than last year in places like Trat in March and even southern Cambodia. Also, yesterday I saw a Russian family on the Skytrain in Bangkok. So that disputes your claim.

[little mary sunshine]

The only polite Russians must go to Vietnam .

Here in Thailand, Jomtien, we get the low life's

From Siberia that would come to town on their

Tractors if they had them; and rude and Pushy

Are compliments to this bunch.

[Winniedapu]

What data are they basing this rose-coloured thinking I wonder?---jackspratt498

Possibly bookings Jack------forward bookings from Tour groups, you may have heard of them..........but then again it may all be a big plot........the conspiracy theories seem to run hot, when ever it looks like Thailand may be doing OK...........just doesn't fit in with what most farangs would wish for............

Interesting view, maybe you're right.

I'm curious though. "just doesn't fit in with what most farangs would wish for"

Why do you think 'most farangs' would wish bad things for Thailand? It's a serious question.

[LomSak27]

Possibly bookings Jack------forward bookings from Tour groups, you may have heard of them

More to the point; likely a prediction BASED on recent bookings ...... that if they continue, at this rate, we will see 1 million Russians

Unfortunatly it is very easy to game statistics and oxo TAT has a history of doing just that to release "Happy News". When it does not come true, just forget about it and release another. They need a million but with TAT cooking the figures, likely nothing more than a wishful Press Release. And That staement is based on a verfiable track record of bogus wishful Press Releases they have made in the past.

[Penefattore]

"A TAT official told the paper that a more stable ruble would lead to a rise in Russian visitors."

If it stabilizes at this level we can hardly expect to see any increase.

As you can see in the linked chart http://www.xe.com/it/currencycharts/?from=RUB&to=THB&view=10Y Russians came in droves when the ru(b)ble was above 1 baht , now that it is half that value I guess many of them cannot afford a Thai vacation anymore. Well they can always enjoy lake Baikal

[Cook my sock]

The thing with Russians is that theyre loud and belligerent even when not drunk, and even more so, when they are.

At least the Chinese don't go around looking morose and start fights at the slightest provocation.

not true, Chinese are worse ! I saw a mass Chinese brawl at don Mueang recently

[Hammock]

Nemrut - Russians Loud? I guess, you have not met a single Russian in your short life? You must have confused them with the Chinese.

A million Russians would benefit much more to Thai economy then grumpy seedy British alcoholics sitting with their single small Chang beer all day watching the street in front of them

[thaiduncankk]

Nemrut - Russians Loud? I guess, you have not met a single Russian in your short life? You must have confused them with the Chinese.

A million Russians would benefit much more to Thai economy then grumpy seedy British alcoholics sitting with their single small Chang beer all day watching the street in front of them

And what exactly do keyboard warriors, like yourself, offer to the Thai economy ?

[Gene1960]

Nemrut - Russians Loud? I guess, you have not met a single Russian in your short life? You must have confused them with the Chinese.

A million Russians would benefit much more to Thai economy then grumpy seedy British alcoholics sitting with their single small Chang beer all day watching the street in front of them

The British alcoholics have been trained to smile to people and generally don't call Thai ppl monkeys. Maybe it's a great idea to give the Russian tourists an obligatory lecture about Thai Culture and teach them to smile on their first day in LOS. A faint smile will be a pass to proceed.

[fey]

they seem to keep mostly to themselves and are not nosy. they can have a good time without asking about your employment or other personal info. can keep things light though can be loud. can drink without acting goofy or dumb.

prefer them to most other nationalities in a tourist situation. im american.

many prefer vietnam beach destinations esp nha trang.

i cant see them really liking the thais though, but i guess thats not really what its all about.

Edited May 16, 2016 by fey

[Rancid]

I've stayed in hotels full of Russians and never had a drama, no doubt there will be the odd obnoxious drunk but they seem to mind their own business.