In Thailand, the total number of stranded and distressed “relocators” from Russia and Ukraine was calculated – they were counted about 7 thousand people. According to The Tiger, most of them are currently in Phuket.
According to the experts of the publication, the island “welcomes the return of tourists, in the background the situation with the stuck Russian and Ukrainian “relocators” looms. At the same time, the Russians became the largest group of foreign tourists in Phuket, with about 17,000 people arriving in December alone. But some of the newcomers remain on the island “not of their own free will,” the media say.
At the same time, the “relocants” experience a lot of problems – and some of them affect the local population. According to experts, some of the Russians could not fly home even during the mass cancellation of flights during the “air sanctions”, some were “recirculated” due to political events, the situation is similar with the Ukrainians.
The main problem for relocators is money, as Russians who have fled cannot withdraw cash from ATMs or use their credit cards due to sanctions on Russia. Some resort to using Western Union or cryptocurrencies to get cash, “but those options are also becoming less viable by the day.” As a result, “Russian” restaurants and shops are losing their clientele, as their customers can no longer pay.
Part of the Thai business is ready to support the “relocators”: hotels and hostels offer rooms for long stays at a discount and even free dormitory beds when detainees run out of funds. On the other hand, the attempts of the stuck Russians to make money meet with sharp public resistance, as they “take away bread” from the Thais. Note that violators may face the most severe measures, up to and including deportation. Read more at this link.
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