Russian invasion may divert,cancel flights

[reader]

From the Thaiger

After yesterday claiming that the situation in Ukraine wouldn’t affect UK to Thailand flights, officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand now say the Russia-Ukraine conflict WILL impact tourism to Thailand.

TAT’s deputy governor for marketing communications has now told the Bangkok Post that people might decide to cancel trips to Thailand because many airlines have had to divert or cancel their flights. The deputy governor also said it’s too soon to to asses the impact, though.

===========================

From Pattaya Mail

By Barry Kenyon

World shock at Putin’s invasion of Ukraine obviously sidelines Thailand’s entry and exit problems, but nonetheless they certainly abound. It can safely be assumed that tourist arrivals from both Russia and Ukraine will be sharply reduced to say the least, whilst there are already rumors of cancelled flights in both directions.

Many Russian tourists are already returning in haste, whilst flights to Ukraine are jeopardized by the shelling of Kyiv’s main airport. The Tourist Authority of Thailand confirms today that the negative effect is “instant” and that attempts are being made to evacuate the 250 Thai citizens thought to be trapped in Ukraine.

As regards the Russians and Ukrainians still in Thailand, thought to number tens of thousands, their extension of visa options are narrowing. Although the 60 day “Covid extensions” are still technically available until next month, they are at the discretion of each Thai immigration office. This was confirmed by the Bangkok immigration hotline earlier today.

 

[JKane]

 

 

 

Something else he has in common with Trump, he's a scared little bunker bitch too!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[caeron]

 

I'm glad I went when I did. I regret not seeing more. 

I fear that too many in Europe lack the will to really hold Russia accountable.

 

 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, reader said:

After yesterday claiming that the situation in Ukraine wouldn’t affect UK to Thailand flights, officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand now say the Russia-Ukraine conflict WILL impact tourism to Thailand.

The UK banned Aeroflot, possibly an unwise move.

Russia responded by banning British aircraft from Russian airspace.

Now this makes no difference at all to travel from the UK to Thailand, as in my experience, direct flights don't go over Russian airspace.  They have often avoided Ukraine too, after the Russians shot down a Malaysian plane there.

However, flights from the UK to Japan with BA and Virgin would be badly affected by not being able to use Russian airspace.   If these rules are still in place when travel to Japan picks up again.

 

I would imagine the fall in the value of the Ruble might reduce tourist numbers.

[tassojunior]

2 hours ago, z909 said:

 

 

I would imagine the fall in the value of the Ruble might reduce tourist numbers.

I would think a devalued Ruble would increase tourism. Certainly I ike to think of being able to buy twice as many of those St. Petersburg demi-Gods. Of course, except for the Hesinki day ferry no-visa pass, the Russian visa is not easy for an American in best of times. St Petersburg may see a lot more tourists this summer (if there's not nucleur war of course). 

[vinapu]

13 hours ago, reader said:

officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand now say the Russia-Ukraine conflict WILL impact tourism to Thailand.

 

Pearl Harbor was not  Japan -US conflict  but outright aggression, so was Germany's invasion of Poland  and so  is Russian attack on Ukraine  

[PeterRS]

On 2/26/2022 at 4:18 AM, tassojunior said:

I would think a devalued Ruble would increase tourism. Certainly I ike to think of being able to buy twice as many of those St. Petersburg demi-Gods. Of course, except for the Hesinki day ferry no-visa pass, the Russian visa is not easy for an American in best of times. St Petersburg may see a lot more tourists this summer (if there's not nucleur war of course). 

In normal times I would agree with you. I would happily return to St. Petersburg following a wonderful trip there in 2013 especially with a massively devalued ruble. For those able to obtain a visa, the high speed trains from Helsinki are by far the best way to get into the city. The airport is a painful disaster zone for passengers.

On the other hand, credit cards may not work, cash will be king, inflation will surely soar and I would expect tourist places to show little decrease in prices. Plus, who will consider going anywhere in Russia for the rest of this year, no matter how the Ukraine invasion ends.

[JKane]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tassojunior]

Uinted cancelled it's flights from California to India because of the Russia air ban. That's a lot of people CA/India. I wonder what other Asia flights will fall. I've flown London/SanFrancisco near-polar and I'd guess there are other near-polar routes to CA that will be axed. 

 

 

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, tassojunior said:

United cancelled it's flights from California to India because of the Russia air ban. That's a lot of people CA/India. I wonder what other Asia flights will fall. I've flown London/SanFrancisco near-polar and I'd guess there are other near-polar routes to CA that will be axed. 

 

I'm pretty sure people of Ukraine feel very sorry for suffering of all those Californians who can't go to India now or if they do they need to take refueling stop in some Osaka or Taipei

[reader]

From South China Morning Post

Crashing rouble, sanctions deal blow to Thailand bid to revive tourism

A plunging rouble, flight cancellations and money-transfer difficulties are prompting Russian and European tourists to cancel trips to Thailand, a blow to the Southeast Asian nation’s tourism-revival efforts.

The exclusion of many Russian banks from the Swift payments network has resulted in tour operators running into problems when making transfers, according to Charintip Tiyaphorn, co-owner of Pimalai Resort & Spa in Phuket. Some flights have been cancelled following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and many European airlines are re-routing to get to Southeast Asia, she said.

Russians were the largest group of travellers to Thailand in January and top applicants for new visas under a quarantine-free entry programme relaunched last month. About 1.5 million Russians visited in pre-pandemic 2019 and spent US$3.3 billion, the third-highest source of tourism revenue for the country, according to official data.

Particularly in seaside destinations such as Phuket and Pattaya, it’s common for restaurants, spas and even property developments to have signs in Cyrillic characters in an effort to make Russians welcome in a country that before Covid-19 generated about a fifth of its gross domestic product from tourism.

“We received emails from agents and sales representatives in Russia that they may not be able to transfer money to Thailand due to sanctions, so this will have some future impacts too,” Charintip said.

“We are more worried about flights from Europe to Thailand that may have to divert, and this would make it more difficult and costly for European travellers to travel to Thailand.”

[JKane]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fedssocr]

I've flown some of those routes over the years and realized right away that this was going to be a big deal for flights between Europe and Asia as well as flights from the US east coast to Asia. 

As consequences go I suppose it may seem like a minor inconvenience, but for the airlines it is going to be a big problem. There are going to be many issues that come up for everyone in the world.

[PeterRS]

I don't see these as destroying a thread. Some are very amusing. I seem to recall a saying that there is a very fine line between comedy and tragedy. 

[TotallyOz]

Warning, name-calling and being unruly will incur a ban. You may not agree with someone, but disagree in a respectful way.

[scott456]

On 3/1/2022 at 12:14 PM, PeterRS said:

In normal times I would agree with you. I would happily return to St. Petersburg following a wonderful trip there in 2013 especially with a massively devalued ruble. For those able to obtain a visa, the high speed trains from Helsinki are by far the best way to get into the city. The airport is a painful disaster zone for passengers.

On the other hand, credit cards may not work, cash will be king, inflation will surely soar and I would expect tourist places to show little decrease in prices. Plus, who will consider going anywhere in Russia for the rest of this year, no matter how the Ukraine invasion ends.

I am predicting the hotel and other things to be priced in foreign currency, not Rubles.

[PeterRS]

8 hours ago, TotallyOz said:

Warning, name-calling and being unruly will incur a ban. You may not agree with someone, but disagree in a respectful way.

DId I say something wrong?

[PeterRS]

1 hour ago, scott456 said:

I am predicting the hotel and other things to be priced in foreign currency, not Rubles.

When I was last there, the price was quoted in roubles but paid in US$.

[Moses]

 

Ukrainian president Zelensky at time of his press-conference. March 3. Just watch it, you don't need to know Ukrainian. Only 42 sec. What do you think: alcohol or cocaine? 

[scott456]

11 hours ago, scott456 said:

I am predicting the hotel and other things to be priced in foreign currency, not Rubles.

And customers can pay in foreign currencies or the equivalent Rubles at the time of payment, although most merchants will probably prefer foreign currencies.  And, I am talking about the hotels and things in Russia.

[fedssocr]

probably lack of sleep

[vinapu]

27 minutes ago, fedssocr said:

probably lack of sleep

or trying not to vomit looking at that piece of Russian fake war propaganda.

But  dead bodies are real

  

[Ruthrieston]

I wait in hope that the ICC investigation can convict Putin of war crimes and he is locked up for the rest of his life. 

[PeterRS]

15 minutes ago, Ruthrieston said:

I wait in hope that the ICC investigation can convict Putin of war crimes and he is locked up for the rest of his life. 

I hope you are very young because it will take decades to get him before the Court - if ever. At least Russia signed the Rome Treaty setting up the Court. George Bush famously said that no American would ever be hauled before the ICC and the USA is not a member. Nor is China! for that matter.

[vinapu]

17 minutes ago, PeterRS said:

I hope you are very young because it will take decades to get him before the Court

right , AK-47 is faster, ask Ceausescu or Khaddaffi