Tourists from Russia are currently unable to return to their homeland because of the war. Thousands of them are stuck at Thai seaside resorts. Authorities and hotels are trying to help.
Thailand is also a popular holiday destination for Russians. But now many of them are stuck there because of the Ukraine war. Thousands are unable to pay their bills or return home because of the sanctions and canceled flights.
About 6,500 Russian tourists are stranded in the four provinces of Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi and Pattaya, which are popular beach resorts, in addition to 1,000 Ukrainians, Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, told The Associated Press news agency.
Almost all direct flights from Thailand to Russia have been suspended
Russians are facing two main problems: the cancellation of their flights home by airlines that have grounded their flights to Russia and the suspension of financial services, particularly by credit card companies that have joined sanctions against Moscow.
While almost all direct flights from Russia have been suspended, there are still connections via major Middle Eastern airlines. “There are some airlines that still fly to Russia, but travelers have to change planes in another country. We try to find and coordinate flights for them,” Yuthasak said. Efforts are also being made to find alternative payment options for Russian tourists. Some cannot pay their bills because they can no longer use Visa or Mastercard credit cards.
Many hotels in Thailand offer discounted rates to help
While many have cash and those with UnionPay credit cards issued by a Chinese financial services company can still use them, payment with cryptocurrency, for example, is not allowed, it said. Many hotels would help by offering discounted rates. The Thai government has also offered 30-day visa extensions without pay and has been trying to find low-cost alternative accommodation for people forced to stay for longer periods.
Troubles surrounding the war in Ukraine have fueled Thailand’s hopes for an economic recovery. Authorities are hoping that the threat of the coronavirus pandemic will subside by July, even as the number of daily cases attributed to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is currently at a record high. On Friday, the health agency recorded 63 more Covid-19 deaths and 24,792 confirmed new cases.
Thai authorities plan to lift most of the quarantine and testing requirements in place to combat the spread of the virus later this year, which would make it easier for foreign travelers to enter the country.
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Source: Stern
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