News Forum - Russians expected to remain biggest tourist group in Phuket during peak

[Thaiger]

Russians are expected to remain Phuket’s biggest tourist group during the peak tourism time, according to the president of the Southern Thai Hotels Association. The president, Sueksit Suwannadissakun, said the peak of tourism high season will be between December 24 to January 5. About 57% of hotels in the island province reopened in October, jumping to 70% in November, according to Sueksit. He said the association expects that during Christmas and New Year, 80% of Phuket hotels will be opened. Sueksit told The Phuket Express… “The top tourists are now Russians which is about 25% of total visitors, secondly followed […]

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[Fanboy]

Let me guess, 99% of them are male of age to be mobilized, lol.

Seems like a good place for the smart ones to go.

[Mandy]

All the ones where I live are young families with children that like to scream all day long and not in a happy way, we're all extremely agitated now but I'm the lucky one, I get to leave in January as I'm a tenant not an owner!! Leave I am. 

[Poolie]

23 hours ago, Fanboy said:

Let me guess, 99% of them are male of age to be mobilized, lol.

Seems like a good place for the smart ones to go.

It seems not.

47 minutes ago, Mandy said:

All the ones where I live are young families with children that like to scream all day long and not in a happy way, we're all extremely agitated now but I'm the lucky one, I get to leave in January as I'm a tenant not an owner!! Leave I am. 

 

[Alavan]

On 12/15/2022 at 12:21 PM, Fanboy said:

Let me guess, 99% of them are male of age to be mobilized, lol.

Seems like a good place for the smart ones to go.

More than usual of that group.

Also buying a lot of Apple stuff and jeans. Went to Central two days ago, the iLab shop full of Russians. In the department store queuing for buying Levi’s

[JamesR]

I was at Surin Beach yesterday in Phuket, 99% of the tourist there were Russian.

They were strolling around or sitting at the tables of the small restaurants eating or having a beer just like other tourists, they consisted of families or groups of friends it seemed..

They all seemed relaxed and were enjoying themselves. 

I have also been to the very large shopping centre called Central a few times,  most of the tourists were Russian, they seemed no different to the rest of us.

I remember years ago being at a hotel listening to a band, we joined with the next table who were Russians and we had a great night. 

I have no problem with Russian people, only with their dictatorial leaders, I am sure many of them feel the same way.

[Manu]

2 hours ago, JamesR said:

I was at Surin Beach yesterday in Phuket, 99% of the tourist there were Russian.

They were strolling around or sitting at the tables of the small restaurants eating or having a beer just like other tourists, they consisted of families or groups of friends it seemed..

They all seemed relaxed and were enjoying themselves. 

I have also been to the very large shopping centre called Central a few times,  most of the tourists were Russian, they seemed no different to the rest of us.

I remember years ago being at a hotel listening to a band, we joined with the next table who were Russians and we had a great night. 

I have no problem with Russian people, only with their dictatorial leaders, I am sure many of them feel the same way.

Hang on... Russians are "strolling and stitting at tables in restaurants", "having beer", they are "families" and even "groups of friends", they are "relaxed" and "enjoying themselves", they even go in shopping malls like "the rest of us" (who exactly is the rest of us?). That's a great discovery. I am honestly not having a go at you, I can see where you are getting at, your comment is just very clumsy if anything. I just find it sad that someone has to spend some time to write that the average Russians, or from any other nation, are just the same as any average people, whereever they are from. I bet all the Russian people you have described in your comment would feel the same if they read your comment.

Some here have been having a go at the Russians since I have been on this forum so way before Putin's war. Now they feel like they found a justification to let go their hate against all Russians. Usually they are the same people that have a go at many other nations and other groups of people.

Average people never go to war, their leaders do, wether it is authoritarian Putin to Ukraine or democratic Bush to Irak, etc... In fact, they do not really go, they send a portion of kids and some war professionals of their population to do the dirty job. Average people which life inspirations are obviously to have a roof over their head, food on the table, feed their kids, have simple good time with friends and families do not wish to invade another country to fight against the same average people with the same life inspirations. Average people from Russia, USA or any country worldwide all the same.

[Soidog]

22 minutes ago, Manu said:

Hang on... Russians are "strolling and stitting at tables in restaurants", "having beer", they are "families" and even "groups of friends", they are "relaxed" and "enjoying themselves", they even go in shopping malls like "the rest of us" (who exactly is the rest of us?). That's a great discovery. I am honestly not having a go at you, I can see where you are getting at, your comment is just very clumsy if anything. I just find it sad that someone has to spend some time to write that the average Russians, or from any other nation, are just the same as any average people, whereever they are from. I bet all the Russian people you have described in your comment would feel the same if they read your comment.

Some here have been having a go at the Russians since I have been on this forum so way before Putin's war. Now they feel like they found a justification to let go their hate against all Russians. Usually they are the same people that have a go at many other nations and other groups of people.

Average people never go to war, their leaders do, wether it is authoritarian Putin to Ukraine or democratic Bush to Irak, etc... In fact, they do not really go, they send a portion of kids and some war professionals of their population to do the dirty job. Average people which life inspirations are obviously to have a roof over their head, food on the table, feed their kids, have simple good time with friends and families do not wish to invade another country to fight against the same average people with the same life inspirations. Average people from Russia, USA or any country worldwide all the same.

I was about to post a similar surprises reply but you beat me to it! 
 

In the past, I have posted comments about Russians which some people could see as being anti-Russian. Nothing could be further from the truth. As I have travelled to many countries around the world, especially for work, I have found the basic requirements for a contented life remain the same everywhere. While cultures and language may vary, basic human values and aspirations are universal. 
 

My only issue is when people post comments trying to totally exonerate the average Russian for what is happening in Ukraine. People are very quick to attach credit to its people when a country does good, yet want to blame only governments for when they do wrong. The average Russian may hate what is taking place in their name as much as the rest of us.  The average Russian may not be culpable, but they must carry some responsibility. People often say other countries shouldn’t get involved in another countries affairs and that it is for citizens to sort out their problems. Russia is no exception. 

[Cg66]

What exactly is happening in Ukraine? Not what the western media is betraying that’s for sure. That defensive organisation called NATO that agreed not to take one step further Eastward after the fall of the wall 1989 has gone from 12 countries to 30 countries in its club. That defensive organisation took it on itself to bomb Bosnia in 1999, interfere in Afghanistan, Syria and Libya. They have trained 250,000 Ukrainian troops to fight against Russia since 2014, ignoring the two Minsk agreements, in fact, as Poroshenko and now Merkel admit, they had no intention of adhering to those agreements and the plan was always to agitate and prepare for an attack against Russia, the latter continuously warning of its red lines that couldn’t be crossed and of course being ignored. The last time was at a world Security Council meeting on December 17, 2021. Civilian areas are being bombed daily as they have been since 2014 in the Donbass areas using American Hi-Mars missiles, the targets all being approved by the USA whose satellites control where they go. Those not totally in the thrall of the western media might have spotted the story on Italian television A couple of days ago where civilian buildings were supposedly being bombed by the Russians. Slight problem there though. It was the Donbass area with Ukrainians shelling the civilian population. Markets, recreation areas, blocks of flats with no military targets for miles. As with Covid, vaccines, climate change, net zero people need to realise that there is a narrative created by the government which they should be questioning more.

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, Manu said:

Hang on... Russians are "strolling and stitting at tables in restaurants", "having beer", they are "families" and even "groups of friends", they are "relaxed" and "enjoying themselves", they even go in shopping malls like "the rest of us" (who exactly is the rest of us?). That's a great discovery. I am honestly not having a go at you, I can see where you are getting at, your comment is just very clumsy if anything. I just find it sad that someone has to spend some time to write that the average Russians, or from any other nation, are just the same as any average people, whereever they are from. I bet all the Russian people you have described in your comment would feel the same if they read your comment.

Some here have been having a go at the Russians since I have been on this forum so way before Putin's war. Now they feel like they found a justification to let go their hate against all Russians. Usually they are the same people that have a go at many other nations and other groups of people.

Average people never go to war, their leaders do, wether it is authoritarian Putin to Ukraine or democratic Bush to Irak, etc... In fact, they do not really go, they send a portion of kids and some war professionals of their population to do the dirty job. Average people which life inspirations are obviously to have a roof over their head, food on the table, feed their kids, have simple good time with friends and families do not wish to invade another country to fight against the same average people with the same life inspirations. Average people from Russia, USA or any country worldwide all the same.

Great, so we agree with each other, I purposely made my comment simple as there seems to be a lot of simple people around who think all Russians are demons. 

I feel it very sad that some simple minded people do not think of the Russians as being the same as everyone else in general. 

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, Soidog said:

I was about to post a similar surprises reply but you beat me to it! 
 

In the past, I have posted comments about Russians which some people could see as being anti-Russian. Nothing could be further from the truth. As I have travelled to many countries around the world, especially for work, I have found the basic requirements for a contented life remain the same everywhere. While cultures and language may vary, basic human values and aspirations are universal. 
 

My only issue is when people post comments trying to totally exonerate the average Russian for what is happening in Ukraine. People are very quick to attach credit to its people when a country does good, yet want to blame only governments for when they do wrong. The average Russian may hate what is taking place in their name as much as the rest of us.  The average Russian may not be culpable, but they must carry some responsibility. People often say other countries shouldn’t get involved in another countries affairs and that it is for citizens to sort out their problems. Russia is no exception. 

I agree with most of your comment but you said,  "The average Russian may not be culpable, but they must carry some responsibility. "

Many people in Russia have demonstrated their responsibility and objected to what is going on but they disappear, I think it is easy for us to demonstrate and voice objection and opposition in the West as we have democracy and the law on our side.

It reminds me of the tree huggers who glue themselves to motorways etc in the UK, we produce 1% of the worlds CO2 per year, the biggest culprits are the Chinese so I laugh knowing the tree huggers will not go after the real culprits as they would not be around for very long and so they can enjoy their games in relative safety in the UK. 

[Soidog]

4 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I agree with most of your comment but you said,  "The average Russian may not be culpable, but they must carry some responsibility. "

Many people in Russia have demonstrated their responsibility and objected to what is going on but they disappear, I think it is easy for us to demonstrate and voice objection and opposition in the West as we have democracy and the law on our side.

It reminds me of the tree huggers who glue themselves to motorways etc in the UK, we produce 1% of the worlds CO2 per year, the biggest culprits are the Chinese so I laugh knowing the tree huggers will not go after the real culprits as they would not be around for very long and so they can enjoy their games in relative safety in the UK. 

I take your point and of course these things aren’t easy or simple to solve. However, when the questions are asked such a:

How can this be stopped?

How do we remove Putin from Power?

How was Putin allowed to amass such power?

How did he get voted in so many times?

Why has no one assassinated him?

None of these have answers that should include anyone other than Russian citizens. Individually they aren’t culpable, but collectively, as a nation, they are.

As for the analogy of climate change, this is a global problem and hence it makes sense to clean up your own problems first. If China doesn’t meet its environmental obligations then that’s the fault of the Chinese people. Russia and Ukraine are isolated issues. Climate change is a global problem. 

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, Cg66 said:

What exactly is happening in Ukraine? Not what the western media is betraying that’s for sure. That defensive organisation called NATO that agreed not to take one step further Eastward after the fall of the wall 1989 has gone from 12 countries to 30 countries in its club. That defensive organisation took it on itself to bomb Bosnia in 1999, interfere in Afghanistan, Syria and Libya. They have trained 250,000 Ukrainian troops to fight against Russia since 2014, ignoring the two Minsk agreements, in fact, as Poroshenko and now Merkel admit, they had no intention of adhering to those agreements and the plan was always to agitate and prepare for an attack against Russia, the latter continuously warning of its red lines that couldn’t be crossed and of course being ignored. The last time was at a world Security Council meeting on December 17, 2021. Civilian areas are being bombed daily as they have been since 2014 in the Donbass areas using American Hi-Mars missiles, the targets all being approved by the USA whose satellites control where they go. Those not totally in the thrall of the western media might have spotted the story on Italian television A couple of days ago where civilian buildings were supposedly being bombed by the Russians. Slight problem there though. It was the Donbass area with Ukrainians shelling the civilian population. Markets, recreation areas, blocks of flats with no military targets for miles. As with Covid, vaccines, climate change, net zero people need to realise that there is a narrative created by the government which they should be questioning more.

All I can say in general is when the Russians were knocking on the door of the USA during the missile crisis in Cuba in the 1960's it almost caused WW3, the West have been creeping inexorably closer and closer to the Russian front door and we expected them to sit there and do nothing about it.

[JamesR]

9 minutes ago, Soidog said:

I take your point and of course these things aren’t easy or simple to solve. However, when the questions are asked such a:

How can this be stopped?

How do we remove Putin from Power?

How was Putin allowed to amass such power?

How did he get voted in so many times?

Why has no one assassinated him?

None of these have answers that should include anyone other than Russian citizens. Individually they aren’t culpable, but collectively, as a nation, they are.

As for the analogy of climate change, this is a global problem and hence it makes sense to clean up your own problems first. If China doesn’t meet its environmental obligations then that’s the fault of the Chinese people. Russia and Ukraine are isolated issues. Climate change is a global problem. 

It is easy to ask questions, it is much harder to answer them and give detailed reasons of how to answer those questions and come up with solutions.

I suppose the power to have people/families disappear is the main answer to your questions/comments.

Re climate change, we could go on but this would be flagged as a tangent so I will leave that there. 

 

[Soidog]

3 minutes ago, JamesR said:

It is easy to ask questions, it is much harder to answer them and give detailed reasons of how to answer those questions and come up with solutions.

I suppose the power to have people/families disappear is the main answer to your questions/comments.

Re climate change, we could go on but this would be flagged as a tangent so I will leave that there. 

I do agree @JamesR and I do have sympathy with citizens of countries like Russia and Iran for example. However, it is the Citizens of these countries who need to find an answer to these difficult questions. As I’ve said many times, this is Russia fault  and Russians need to fix it.

[Rookiescot]

4 hours ago, Cg66 said:

What exactly is happening in Ukraine? Not what the western media is betraying that’s for sure. That defensive organisation called NATO that agreed not to take one step further Eastward after the fall of the wall 1989 has gone from 12 countries to 30 countries in its club. That defensive organisation took it on itself to bomb Bosnia in 1999, interfere in Afghanistan, Syria and Libya. They have trained 250,000 Ukrainian troops to fight against Russia since 2014, ignoring the two Minsk agreements, in fact, as Poroshenko and now Merkel admit, they had no intention of adhering to those agreements and the plan was always to agitate and prepare for an attack against Russia, the latter continuously warning of its red lines that couldn’t be crossed and of course being ignored. The last time was at a world Security Council meeting on December 17, 2021. Civilian areas are being bombed daily as they have been since 2014 in the Donbass areas using American Hi-Mars missiles, the targets all being approved by the USA whose satellites control where they go. Those not totally in the thrall of the western media might have spotted the story on Italian television A couple of days ago where civilian buildings were supposedly being bombed by the Russians. Slight problem there though. It was the Donbass area with Ukrainians shelling the civilian population. Markets, recreation areas, blocks of flats with no military targets for miles. As with Covid, vaccines, climate change, net zero people need to realise that there is a narrative created by the government which they should be questioning more.

Poor Putin eh? There he is minding his own business invading Chechnya (twice) Georgia (four times), Crimea, Donbas, Syria and the Central African Republik.

All he wants is peace though. 

[ChrisS]

Phuket is a better prospect for wealthier Russians than Crimea right now it seems.

[Marc26]

8 hours ago, JamesR said:

I was at Surin Beach yesterday in Phuket, 99% of the tourist there were Russian.

They were strolling around or sitting at the tables of the small restaurants eating or having a beer just like other tourists, they consisted of families or groups of friends it seemed..

They all seemed relaxed and were enjoying themselves. 

I have also been to the very large shopping centre called Central a few times,  most of the tourists were Russian, they seemed no different to the rest of us.

I remember years ago being at a hotel listening to a band, we joined with the next table who were Russians and we had a great night. 

I have no problem with Russian people, only with their dictatorial leaders, I am sure many of them feel the same way.

I think Russians get a bad wrap because they aren't as forward socially as a lot of westerners are....

 

So people misconstrue that as not being nice.............which isn't the case

 

 

[Manu]

2 hours ago, JamesR said:

Great, so we agree with each other, I purposely made my comment simple as there seems to be a lot of simple people around who think all Russians are demons. 

I feel it very sad that some simple minded people do not think of the Russians as being the same as everyone else in general. 

Yes. 

[Manu]

6 hours ago, Soidog said:

I was about to post a similar surprises reply but you beat me to it! 
 

In the past, I have posted comments about Russians which some people could see as being anti-Russian. Nothing could be further from the truth. As I have travelled to many countries around the world, especially for work, I have found the basic requirements for a contented life remain the same everywhere. While cultures and language may vary, basic human values and aspirations are universal. 
 

My only issue is when people post comments trying to totally exonerate the average Russian for what is happening in Ukraine. People are very quick to attach credit to its people when a country does good, yet want to blame only governments for when they do wrong. The average Russian may hate what is taking place in their name as much as the rest of us.  The average Russian may not be culpable, but they must carry some responsibility. People often say other countries shouldn’t get involved in another countries affairs and that it is for citizens to sort out their problems. Russia is no exception. 

Probably the time I just wished you don’t disagree with me. Shame mate 

[Fanboy]

11 hours ago, Alavan said:

More than usual of that group.

Also buying a lot of Apple stuff and jeans. Went to Central two days ago, the iLab shop full of Russians. In the department store queuing for buying Levi’s

I bet, they can buy in Thailand go back to Russia and sell for double and pay for vacation as many western products not available in Russia any more...

[Fanboy]

3 hours ago, JamesR said:

All I can say in general is when the Russians were knocking on the door of the USA during the missile crisis in Cuba in the 1960's it almost caused WW3, the West have been creeping inexorably closer and closer to the Russian front door and we expected them to sit there and do nothing about it.

The west and NATO creeping to Russia?

Both Russia and the West are trying to get other countries to join their own alliance.

The reason NATO and the West have grown is maybe because Russian tries to get you to join by holding a gun to your head while NATO says you are free to choose.

Why do you think Finland and Sweden now want to join NATO?

They were neutral forever but now they simply do not trust Russia or Putin any more. 

Russia's problems are their own doing and their people  with their self interest and apathy to politics allowed things to become they way they are. Putin did not do this on his own and the Russian citizen will pay for many years for Russia's forever damaged reputation.

[Soidog]

4 hours ago, Manu said:

Probably the time I just wished you don’t disagree with me. Shame mate 

I don’t think we did disagree. I just think that in the final analysis, only Russians are to “blame” for what Russia does. Don’t you agree? 

[Cg66]

5 hours ago, Fanboy said:

The west and NATO creeping to Russia?

Both Russia and the West are trying to get other countries to join their own alliance.

The reason NATO and the West have grown is maybe because Russian tries to get you to join by holding a gun to your head while NATO says you are free to choose.

Why do you think Finland and Sweden now want to join NATO?

They were neutral forever but now they simply do not trust Russia or Putin any more. 

Russia's problems are their own doing and their people  with their self interest and apathy to politics allowed things to become they way they are. Putin did not do this on his own and the Russian citizen will pay for many years for Russia's forever damaged reputation.

You have a very blinkered view of what is happening. The population of Sweden and Finland do not want to join NATO. As in all of Europe there seems to be an elite that is making decisions to the detriment of their population with Little concern for what their electorate wants. looking on I consider Putin as having acted very honourably when it comes to living up to contracts to supply energy despite the west seizing $300 billion that they had in western bank accounts. apparently Russia blew up their own €32 billion pipeline and are currently killing their own people to try and blame it on the Ukrainians! they also have rusty guns and have run out of missiles! There is a narrative, as there was with Covid, vaccines, net zero and climate change. Do you believe that as well?

[Cg66]

8 hours ago, JamesR said:

All I can say in general is when the Russians were knocking on the door of the USA during the missile crisis in Cuba in the 1960's it almost caused WW3, the West have been creeping inexorably closer and closer to the Russian front door and we expected them to sit there and do nothing about it.

 

8 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Poor Putin eh? There he is minding his own business invading Chechnya (twice) Georgia (four times), Crimea, Donbas, Syria and the Central African Republik.

All he wants is peace though. 

Other than Chechnya and Georgia, all the other areas welcomed the Russian intervention