Russians Evading Military Draft Could Boost Thailand’s Economy

Thailand is the attractive and practical choice for Russian men evading military selection in Russia.

Men are reportedly leaving Russia after President Vladimir Putin introduced plans to recruit 300,000 Russian civilians into the military and will be sent to Ukraine.

European countries such as Lithuania have shut their borders to Russian citizens, claiming support for President Putin’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine as the main reason.

Russians are currently boarding flights to visa-free destinations such as Armenia, Georgia, Montenegro, Turkey, or anywhere around the globe.

A bilateral agreement between Thailand and Russia allows Russians to temporarily visit Thailand without a visa, often known as “visa exemption upon arrival.”

Effective October 1, Thailand will raise the maximum duration of visa-free entry from 30 to 45 days in an effort to attract visitors during the high season.

On the same date, Thailand will also remove all remaining COVID-related entry restrictions, which means it is no longer required to show vaccination history documents or negative COVID-19 test results to enter the country.  Even those who test positive for Covid-19 can enter Thailand.

The Thai government had already implemented initiatives to improve tourism earnings by targeting Russians this winter.

Russians are welcome to Thailand and the Kingdom has plans to transport Russians through chartered flights 3 times every week during the high season. However, it is still unclear when the flights will start.

Russian airline company Aeroflot hopes to restart direct flights between Russia and Phuket on October 31.  However, waiting until that day will be too long for potential Russian conscripts.

Before the invasion, the Russians helped Thailand to boost its tourism income. Therefore, the Thai government has no problem welcoming Russians into the country.

Uncertainty exists as to whether sufficient planes are available to accommodate an influx of Russian tourists and if they will be an economical choice.

SOURCE: The Thaiger

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