Cashless and flightless, Russian tourists stuck in Thailand

[Omaha Steve]

Tourists lounge under umbrellas along Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand, Friday, March 11, 2022. Thousands of Russian tourists are stranded in Thailand's beach resorts because of the war in Ukraine, many unable to pay their bills or return home because of sanctions and canceled flights. The crisis in Europe also put a crimp in recovery plans for the Southeast Asian nation’s tourism industry, which has hosted more visitors from Russia than any of its neighbors before the pandemic hit. (AP Photo/Salinee Prab)


By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL

BANGKOK (AP) — Thousands of Russian tourists are stranded in Thailand’s beach resorts because of the war in Ukraine, many unable to pay their bills or return home because of sanctions and canceled flights.

The crisis in Europe also put a crimp in recovery plans for the Southeast Asian nation’s tourism industry, which has hosted more visitors from Russia than any of its neighbors before the pandemic hit.

There are about 6,500 Russian tourists stuck in Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi and Pattaya, four provinces that are popular seaside resort destinations, in addition to 1,000 Ukrainians, Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Some 17,599 Russians accounted for the largest bloc of arrivals in February, representing 8.6% of a total of 203,970, according to the Public Health Ministry. After the Feb. 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine, their numbers drastically declined.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-covid-health-travel-business-e31653ca76e092c78a2af5c53f083b7a

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[Achilleaze]

1. Phuket

I mean really, Phuket.

[Bev54]

8. LOL my son pronounced it that way to his teacher when I was travelling

there and nobody blinked an eye. Pronounced Pooket.

[underpants]

11. 👆right there

[uponit7771]

2. So money is cut off to these tourist? WOW !! That's GOOD !! They can DIRECTLY blame Putrid and

... are going to come home with their stories.

Just 6500 but every little bit counts.

I pray the rest of the RU ctiz have this level of shot in their lives so they can directly blame Putrid

[Srkdqltr]

3. Have Putin send the yacht.

[lapfog_1]

4. 6,500 Russian tourists stuck in Phuket

I certainly hope the hotels there treat them as they would anyone with no money.

The very least there should be 6,500 refugees. And with the air space closed to Russian planes, I guess they will be sleeping on the beach for a while.

[PSPS]

5. Sucks to be them, I guess. Dommage.

[captain queeg]

6. They won't be watching any Russian propaganda TV while there.

If they watch any tv or see any news they will know what’s going on.

[rockfordfile]

7. tough shit. kick them out

[doc03]

9. Maybe Florida and Texas will take them in. I doubt

there are many regular working people either.

[Deuxcents]

12. No! DeSants doesn't want refugees

[doc03]

15. Maybe he can make an exception for Russians. They can stay at Maro Loco nt

[tanyev]

10. Send a few of those oligarch yachts to Thailand for them to live on until they can go home.

[Sherman A1]

13. I'm sure that they could contact the Russian Embassy for assistance

And perhaps the Russian Air Force could send a plane to evacuate them or the Russian Navy could send a ship to pick them up.

[FakeNoose]

14. Any Russians who can't pay their hotel bill won't be staying there much longer

Maybe the oligarchs can set up a super-yacht relay and get these people back home where they belong. Those super-yachts have to be good for something, am I right?

[AZLD4Candidate]

16. Where I have my retirement property. they can always get a job on Bangla Road at night

That part of the beach is right near the Patong Beach sign near the end of Patong Beach. There is an awesome seafood restaurant near there!