OREANDA-NEWS  The Thai economy, including tourism and real estate, has successfully recovered thanks to Russian guests, the Thai newspaper Bangkok Post reports.

According to the publication, the sharp influx of Russians to the kingdom stimulated the development of small and medium-sized businesses, and also breathed new life into the local real estate market.

The president of the Phuket Real Estate Association, Phatthanan Phisutvimon, said that business in Phuket quickly recovered, as the island is popular among Russians who want to escape from the cold weather. "They spend from one week to six months here, and most prefer to rent villas with a swimming pool. Spending stimulated the local economy. Tourism—related enterprises are recovering quickly after the pandemic thanks to travelers from the Russian Federation," said Phisutvimon. The president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, Phunanan Phatthanasin, said that 500-700 Russians arrive in Thailand every day, and many tourists spend about 10-20 days in Pattaya. "Guests from Russia spend about $90-150 every day," Phatthanasin added.

According to the Immigration bureau of the kingdom, since January 2023, more than 370 thousand Russians have visited the country. This is a sharp increase compared to 2022, when only about 435 thousand Russians came to Thailand in 12 months.

Earlier it was reported that Thailand for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic entered the top popular destinations for Russian citizens to relax in the spring, also in the leaders – Egypt, Russia, the Arab Emirates and Turkey.