Thousands of Russians are flying to Thailand to avoid the war.

Bangkok, Thailand

"Russian tourists are rushing to Thailand to escape the war in Ukraine or find a new home in Southeast Asia. Thailand has become a haven for Russian visitors who want to escape the war in Ukraine, which has been ongoing for two years. They are in Thailand, but are they also fleeing from Russia?"

According to government data, since Thailand fully opened its borders and lifted COVID-19 restrictions in October, Russian arrivals have made up the third largest group of visitors, following only Malaysia and India. Now, thousands of Russians are looking for a new home, fearing economic troubles in Russia and the draft due to the Kremlin's war in Ukraine.

The popularity of Thailand among Russian tourists

Thailand has long been a popular vacation destination for Russian tourists. Thailand and Russia are close trading partners, and in 2019, Russia was the seventh largest market for tourism in Thailand. Thailand did not follow the example of Western countries and did not ban entry for Russian visitors. Russian tourists took advantage of this. In October, November, and December, the number of Russian arrivals in Thailand exceeded 331,000 people, according to data published by the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Thailand. Thousands of these visitors also invest, buyreal estate, or rent long-term in Thailand.

Evading military conscription

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization of troops in September, so for many wealthy Russians, the sunny shores of Thailand are an appealing alternative to the prospect of being drafted to serve in Ukraine. All male citizens of Russia aged 18 to 27 are subject to a year of active military service in the Armed Forces. Since then, Russia has stated that it has drafted at least 200,000 citizens into the armed forces since Putin ordered partial mobilization in September.

Growth of the real estate market in Thailand

Amin Ettaeb is a sales manager from Moscow, working at the real estateagency InDreamsPhuket on the Thai island of Phuket. "More than 90% [of our clients] are Russian. In November, during the peak season, people were buying everything," he told VOA. The family real estateagency has noticed a 10% increase in sales since November. Ettaeb said that in the rental market, villas that used to cost less than $9,000 a month are now priced over $28,000. "The rental market is completely chaotic right now," Ettaeb said. "Villas used to cost 300,000 baht a month, some of them are now priced at 1 million baht a month, but people are still renting them." Despite money not being an issue for some, Ettaeb noted that not all of his clients want to stay in Thailand long-term. "Not many people want to leave Russia forever; they just want to make sure they won't have to go to war," Ettaeb said.

Illegal work and rising prices

At the same time last year, thousands of Russian tourists found themselves stranded in Thailand after the imposition of sanctions by the US and other Western countries against Russia. The suspension of services by Visa and MasterCard and the exclusion of Russian banks from the SWIFT financial network left Russians without accessible funds, as the Russian ruble depreciated. Russia is still facing harsh sanctions due to the war in Ukraine. "The reason for the investments is the desire to withdraw money [from Russia]," said Saliani. "It's a bad situation. They are worried about the currency." The real estate market in Phuket is so saturated that illegal agents have now emerged trying to make money, Saliani said. "Now anyone can be a real estate or rental agent and charge a hundred times more," he said. "It's incredible; it's like a wild exchange that no one can control." Local news outlets in Thailand reported that some Russian visitors are also working illegally as guides and taxi drivers in Phuket. In a Facebook post this month, Bhumikit Ruktaengam, former president of the Phuket Tourism Association, urged officials to investigate the issue of illegal work by Russians in Thailand.

The popularity of Koh Phangan

Russians are also flocking to Koh Phangan in large numbers. Since Thailand opened its borders, Koh Phangan has become popular among Russian visitors trying to escape the war. Kimberly Baka, a life coach from South Africa who is based on the island, said she has been feeling a "takeover" in recent months. In addition to the famous monthly Full Moon beach parties, Koh Phangan is popular among visitors who enjoy the traveler community on the island and the affordable prices. Rising rental prices are forcing people to leave, Baka said. "We wrote to 30 different places, most of them were booked for a year," she said. "I inquired about four houses, the usual price is around 12,000 baht [$345] per month for each. One Russian woman rented all four for the whole year and charges 1,300 baht [$37] a day, which amounts to about 40,000 baht [$1,150] per month [for each house]." "Thais are not able to get a good deal," Baka said. "Many people who have long considered Koh Phangan their home are leaving."