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Roundup: Fewer Russians to visit Thailand in face of falling ruble, direct-flight shutdown

Xinhua, April 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

No more than 1.2 million Russians are expected to visit Thailand throughout this year, marking a substantial decline from last year.

The number of Russian travelers to Thailand will drop largely due to the falling ruble, which is yet to rebound upward in years to come, said Thai Tourism & Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavarangkul over the weekend.

There will be an estimated one million to 1.2 million Russians to visit the Southeast Asian country throughout this year, compared to 1.6 millions last year, according to the Thai tourism minister.

Besides, direct flights between Bangkok and Moscow had already been terminated by Thai Airways International though they could otherwise have prompted the Russians to visit the Southeast Asian country, Kobkarn commented.

The Thai flag carrier firm had quoted losses in operating the Bangkok-Moscow route as the reason for shutdown, however.

The Russians have spent an average of 145 U.S. dollars per day over a span of 15 days at a time while in Thailand, according to the tourism minister.

That length of the Russians' stay in Thailand apparently outlasted the period of time spent by most of all other European tourists to this country, she said.

Most of the Russians have preferred staying at Thailand's world- renowned tropical beach resorts namely Pattaya, Samui Island and Phuket.

Many visited Thailand on one specific purpose -- to watch or practice Muay Thai boxing, she added. Muay Thai is a martial art and sport which has become world-famous, especially among the Westerners, since past several years.

However, Kobkarn added, the Russians will be recommended by the tourism agency to visit other tourist spots, especially including a dozen certain provinces under the slogan "destinations that must not be missed out."

Those provinces include Nan, Lampang, Petchaboon, Buriram, Loei, Samut Songkram, Ratchaburi, Trat, Chantaburi, Trang, Chumporn and Nakorn Sri Thammarat.

The tourism minister made her comments following a recent, official visit to Bangkok by Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev who had called on the Thai authorities to see to it that measures be effectually taken to assure safety for the Russians in Thailand.

Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on bilateral tourism promotion, besides those on bilateral trade and investment, among others. Endi