Russians

  • Phuket NewsTwo more Russians arrested for illegal tour guiding in Phuket

    Two more Russians arrested for illegal tour guiding in Phuket

    Phuket’s popular tourist spots, Laem Phromthep and Big Buddha viewpoint in Karon, were the scenes of two more arrests involving Russian nationals working unlawfully as tour guides. The Phuket Tourist Police disclosed the arrests yesterday. A 37 year old man, Iurii Blazhko, was apprehended at the Laem Phromthep parking area. He was observed leading a group of tourists from a…

  • Thailand NewsThai man in Pattaya tries to reunite Russian woman with family (video)

    Thai man in Pattaya tries to reunite Russian woman with family (video)

    A Thai man in Pattaya attempted to help a Russian woman reportedly suffering from a mental illness to reunite with her family. The foreign woman did not trust anyone after she was scammed and lost her travel budget. The Thai man, Payu Phochai, posted pictures and videos of the Russian woman on Facebook yesterday, March 18, asking his followers to contact…

  • Thailand NewsPhuket: Russian and Indians overstay visa leading to police raid

    Phuket: Russian and Indians overstay visa leading to police raid

    A Russian national and two Indian men were apprehended during a police raid in Phuket’s Bang Thao beach district, charged with overstaying their visas. The operation was conducted by a joint team of immigration and tourist police yesterday afternoon around 1.15pm at a villa where they expected to arrest another Indian man under charges of threats and intimidation. The Phuket Provincial…

  • Tourism NewsAbout 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians stranded in Thailand

    About 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians stranded in Thailand

    While it’s common to discuss the influx of Russians as they pour into the country and are investing more and more in villas and homes, it’s easy to forget about the thousands of people who are not staying by choice in Thailand. Around 7,000 Russians and Ukrainians are currently stranded in Thailand due to the ongoing war between the two countries.…

  • Phuket NewsRussians own 40% of foreign-owned condos in Phuket

    Russians own 40% of foreign-owned condos in Phuket

    Thailand’s Real Estate Information Centre (REIC) reported that Russian citizens own nearly 40% of foreign-owned condominiums in Phuket, worth a collective 880 million baht (US$25). In Phuket, Russians have overtaken the Chinese as the No.1 condo buyer. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 last year, Thailand has become a refuge for Russian citizens, as reported by Al Jazeera. The…

  • Tourism NewsRussians still biggest tourist group in Phuket, peak expected during holidays

    Russians still biggest tourist group in Phuket, peak expected during holidays

    Russians remain Phuket’s biggest tourist group, and the island resort’s tourism is expected to peak during the holidays, according to the president of the Southern Thai Hotels Association, Sueksit Suwannadissakun, who believes 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%…

  • Tourism NewsRussians the biggest tourist group in Phuket in November so far

    Russians the biggest tourist group in Phuket in November so far

    Russians have made up Phuket’s biggest group of tourists so far in November. From November 1-10, Phuket saw 18,370 Russian tourists. The total number of foreign tourists was 75,247, The Phuket Express reported. The next top four countries for tourism in Phuket were: India with 8,939 tourists, Australia with 5,275 tourists, the UK with 4,511 tourists, and Germany with 4,152…

  • Tourism NewsKoh Samui sees influx of Russian tourism

    Koh Samui sees influx of Russian tourism

    With flights increasing from Russia to Thailand, Koh Samui is seeing an increase in European travellers. The holiday island expects to see a surge in Russian tourism in particular, especially in December to close out the year. Russian tourism has been a big revenue-producing staple of Koh Samui but was stymied by the Covid-19 pandemic and then the Russian invasion…

  • Phuket NewsRussians stranded in Phuket finally allowed to fly home

    Russians stranded in Phuket finally allowed to fly home

    78 Russian tourists who were stranded in Phuket and surrounding provinces by the Covid-19 outbreak, flew home on a special charter flight last night. Immigration police and airport staff saw them off at the international terminal lounge holding placards reading “До скорой встречи,” which means “See you soon” in Russian. They left on Aurora Airlines flight SHU5495 from Phuket international…

  • Crime News7 Russians arrested on Koh Phangan

    7 Russians arrested on Koh Phangan

    Police on Surat Thani province’s Koh Phangan, the island best known for its “full moon parties,” have arrested 7 Russian tourists for violating the Emergency Decree. Acting on a complaint filed by concerned Koh Phangan citizens, police raided a two-storey house at Nai Wok village in the wee hours of Monday morning. The next full moon party would have been…

  • Covid-19 NewsForeigners arrested for holding noisy party on Koh Phangan

    Foreigners arrested for holding noisy party on Koh Phangan

    A group of foreign tourists have been detained after “partying” at a rented house on Koh Phangan. Koh Phangan is the home to the monthly full-moon parties, a boat-ride away from Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. Police from Koh Phangan police station raided the house after a tip-off from the village head complaining that many foreign tourists were regularly…

  • Covid-19 NewsPhuket’s new cases (Tuesday), all originating from Bangla Road area

    Phuket’s new cases (Tuesday), all originating from Bangla Road area

    Numbers are out for new cases in Phuket over the past 24 hours. Case 124: 23 year old Russian women Case 125: 26 year old Kazakhstan women Case 126: 28 year old Russian women All 3 new cases in Phuket had a history of visiting or staying in the Bangla Road entertainment zone for up to a month, and having…

  • Covid-19 NewsBroke and stranded, Russian tourists take shelter in Phuket temple

    Broke and stranded, Russian tourists take shelter in Phuket temple

    When their flight was eventually cancelled, they had no money left and decided to walk from the airport. They didn’t know where to go. When they came across Wat Mai Khao they asked to take refuge there. Tourism authorities in Phuket are now trying to help the 3 stranded Russian tourists who have taken shelter at the local temple. Their…

  • Covid-19 NewsStranded. Nearly 21,000 Russians struggling to get home.

    Stranded. Nearly 21,000 Russians struggling to get home.

    The Russian Ambassador to Thailand claims there are about 20,800 Russian citizens stranded in the Land of Smiles. Ambassador Tomikhin says they’re desperate to get home. He says that most of them are stuck in Phuket and neighbouring provinces (Phuket is in virtual lockdown with the airport being closed to all passenger flights on April 10). Another 8,000 in and around…

  • Crime NewsThai Marine chief visits Phuket, bans boat captains, two Russian children dead

    Thai Marine chief visits Phuket, bans boat captains, two Russian children dead

    “If you see any unsafe boat, unsafe pier, dangerous boat driver, please inform the Marine Department hotline 1199.” The Thai Marine Department Chief visited Phuket yesterday afternoon for a full briefing following yesterday morning’s tragic speedboat crash that killed two Russian children, a 6 and 12 year old, and injuring up to 20 passengers around 7.50am. The incident happened in…

  • Tourism NewsTAT forecasts a 2.5% increase in tourist numbers for next year

    TAT forecasts a 2.5% increase in tourist numbers for next year

    Last week tourist arrivals in Thailand surpassed 38,260,000, the total 2018 arrival number. Now Thailand has broken through the 39 million international tourist barrier, just two days before the end of the year. The 39 millionth tourist was from Russia. 2019 had a shaky start with the arrival of Tropical Storm Pabuk in the first week of the new year.…

  • Tourism NewsIndian visitors to Phuket surge whilst total numbers drop

    Indian visitors to Phuket surge whilst total numbers drop

    by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com The soaring number of Indian visitors to Phuket for the first seven months of 2019 has propelled Indian tourists into the Top 5 arrivals for the first time. Arrivals from India from January – July, compared to the same period in 2018, grew 354%, amassing a total of 186,360 arrivals. Mainland Chinese arrival figures continue…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket’s tourist evolution – Diversity is the best option Part 1

    Phuket’s tourist evolution – Diversity is the best option Part 1

    by Guest Writer Today’s guest writer has been managing resorts around Phuket for two decades and has represented his brand at international expos along with promotions for Phuket over the years. His knowledge is first-hand and steeped in local experience. He has asked to remain anonymous. At the end of the 1990’s into the early 2000’s Phuket saw the drastic…

  • Bangkok NewsThree Russians detained in Thailand at the request of the US

    Three Russians detained in Thailand at the request of the US

    Three Russian citizens have been detained in Thailand at the request of the United States in the last three years, head of the Consulate Department of the Russian Embassy in Thailand, Vladimir Pronin told reporters yesterday. “Only in the last three years, three Russians have been detained in Thailand at the US’ request, two of them – in 2018,” he stressed.…