Posted on 03/13/2022 6:02:32 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
Thousands of Russian tourists in Thailand are struggling to find a route home, Thai officials said Sunday, as international sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine hit holiday-makers.
Russia's invasion in February provoked a host of international measures targetting businesses and banks, with some Russian carriers cancelling flights and global payment firms suspending services.
Russians tourists have been among the largest group of visitors to return to Thailand's beachside resorts since pandemic restrictions eased, but many now find themselves without a return ticket.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) official Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya said 3,100 Russians were stuck in Phuket, while just over 2,000 were in Samui, and smaller numbers were in Krabi, Phang Nga and Bangkok.
The ministry was working on helping those who wanted to return home, he said, including "discussion on return flights which could be regular or special flights"......
Many tourists have also been hit by Visa and Mastercard suspending operations.
"We have seen instances of difficulty in card payments by Russians in Phuket due to how Mastercard and Visa have suspended services in Russia," said Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, president of the Phuket Tourist Association.
He said officials were considering adopting the Mir system -- a Russian electronic fund transfer structure -- as well as digital currencies.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
As my wife and daughter are both Thai citizens I frequent the country. I now wonder what I would do if I were put in the Russian tourist/Expat situation? Specifically what if visa/MC cut me off, and/or I couldn't use ATMs to get money from my banks?
Have to rethink my travel strategies. One thing I can do is make sure my American Express Card is updated. Also having money outside the USA needs consideration, I had already thought about it, but this adds another reason.
There is a Chinese Union Pay card, as a Visa/MC alternative. Western financial system is not to be trusted.
Unfortunately for the Russians they are now international pariahs.
Locking them up in their refrigerator country is about the only way we can keep barbarians out of our own countries.
They can change that someday if they want to overthrow Maximum Leader for Life Bad Vlad.
But it’s going to be basically at least 50 years now before anyone trusts them to be in their land. After all, BadVlad says that if even so much as one Rooshian is in your country, he has a right to invade and declare an independent Russian People’s Republic.
Protect yourself then. Deport them all.
I saw some beautiful Russian women in that country. Too bad they were accompanied. Place is too hot for me.
Watch the world adopt two currency exchanges and with a competing value the reality of actual physical assets becomes more concrete.
“There is a Chinese Union Pay card, as a Visa/MC alternative. Western financial system is not to be trusted.”
Do you know if it’s available in the US?
It is definitely working in the US, but I am not sure if the American banks are issuing it.
Thanks.
“Locking them up in their refrigerator country is about the only way we can keep barbarians out of our own countries.”
Amazing how successful the media has been in ‘othering’ Russians. In less than a month, (and I’m not picking on you personally) the collective mind of the media has taken an ethnic group, and the actions of their government, to turn the world against them. I’m not defending the Russian people, the Russian government, or their actions. But, like any other group, they are not collectively evil.
Yet, here we have attached a target to anything Russian. I am stunned how effective it has been to paint Russians with the same blood libel and for them to become the focus of the western world’s hate.
Years before they are ‘trusted’ again? Perhaps they will be an international bad guy for years, another Iraq. But this newly found ability by the media to generate national hatred will not end well for any of us, Russian or not.
I thought Thailand was closed due to COVID restrictions. Last I heard they’ve said it will open up on April 1st.
It’s crucial to plans that no alliance of Russia and the US stand in the way of China and Ummah.
We traveled there over Christmas, pain in the rear having to jump thru covid hoops, but only had less than a day quarantine required with testing on arrival. Arrived midnight and released for interior travel at noon.
However, these travel requirements kept changing so not sure what is required now.
Excellent points you’re making. Our media is full of it. These were the same people condemning Joe McCarthy seventy years ago of perpetrating the “Red Scare” when he rightly pointed out the Soviet communist infiltration of our federal government. Today that same media is blaming all things Russian from Putin to its people and culture just to fit their political agenda. They just ushered in another Cold War environment. The damage the media has done to the world as a whole is undeniable!
Back to Cuba I guess.
Yeah. Our respite care provider’s father lives there and wants to come home to visit. He can’t make any firm plans.
Come the 1st we’ll see if the Thai government says “April Fools!”
If you’re stuck in Phuket just say….
L
“Locking them up in their refrigerator country is about the only way we can keep barbarians out of our own countries.”
Pssst….barbarians are pouring across our border at the rate of approximately 100,000 a month.
L
I take your point, but have the court rulings that ceased the Biden policies not been enforced?
I am asking Freeperland for the current actual status
They should dump them all at the Russian Embassy
That's actually my singular issue.
All these other Right Wing issues are interesting but not compelling.
The wholesale invasion of the United States is death and destruction for not just my home state of Arizona, or my current state of California, but the entire Southwest and the rest of America.
They bring Great Evil as the Elf said.
The border wall can't be built high enough. Invasion is not a civil right, just because you're a non-White.
So my statement applies to them as well. Unfortunately Russians are smarter then Mexicans and have cool stuff like functioning guided missiles, cruise missiles, tactical and strategic nukes, and even cooler aircraft like Sukhoi 30’s, MiG 31s, and hypersonic glide bombs.
But graft all that onto a rather vicious disregard for norms of civilized behavior in the modern era, and you come up with a gang of medieval thugs with way too much power. The Mexicans are ignored for their barbarity because, well, they aren't very bright, and mainly cause trouble with their fists or stolen small weapons. But Russia...they have a violent capacity of global proportions. So...they're a worse problem.
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