Skip Navigation

‘Russian-only’ businesses in Thailand’s Phuket spark backlash

www.aljazeera.com ‘Russian-only’ businesses in Thailand’s Phuket spark backlash

Locals on tourist resort island claim Russians fleeing fallout of the war in Ukraine are stealing Thai jobs.

‘Russian-only’ businesses in Thailand’s Phuket spark backlash

A huge influx of Russians in Phuket is producing a backlash from locals, amid complaints of a booming Russian-only economy that covers everything from hair salons to taxi firms.

More than 400,000 Russians arrived on the Thai tourist island between January and July this year, according to authorities, double the number of visitors before Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Many have secured long stay-visas, buying properties and establishing businesses to escape economic turmoil and the possibility of being conscripted following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

27
27 comments
You've viewed 27 comments.