From Russia, But Not Always With Love

Before arriving in Pattaya, I'm not sure I'd ever met a Russian before. I'm sure I've seen them perform in ballets, and perhaps act in movies, but I don't think I've ever met a real flesh and blood Russian. In Pattaya, they are everywhere. If you see a Caucasian tourist here, it's a good bet that they are Russian. Pattaya seems to be a rather popular holiday destination for them. Sometimes, especially now in peak season, it feels like you are in Russia, only with better weather and food. Walking down the street, you are bombarded with their language. I say bombarded as they like to make themselves heard. I've lost count of the number of times someone has started to talk to me in Russian, assuming that I will know what they are saying. I might understand that happening in Russia, but not Thailand. Even restaurants, tour agencies and massage parlours advertise their wares in Russian.

Russians get a bad press - they're always the villains in films, memories of the Cold War still linger and there's a tendency to associate the harsh climate of the country with the people themselves. I don't want to speculate too much on whether the reality matches up to the stereotype but let's just say that they do seem to be quite a 'different' race.

Let me give you some examples. Coming out of the changing rooms at our club on Saturday, we were confronted with some rather strange behaviour by a couple of Russian girls. We had seen them arrive earlier in t-shirts and shorts but they had taken off their shirts to reveal bikini tops that really didn't leave much to the imagination, and they had rolled their shorts up so that the lower half of their buttocks were poking out. Not only that but they were taking it in turns to perform erotic poses against a tree while the other photographed them. This was all just outside the reception of the club, in full view of anyone walking past. Perhaps it is unfair to tarnish all Russians with the same brush merely based on these two girls but it doesn't seem to be an isolated occurrence. I have seen many a photograph taken in front of a seemingly innocuous backdrop - the Pattaya sign, the pier, a temple - but posed as if they were being snapped for a top shelf men's magazine.

Many of them also seem to be still stuck in the 80s and 90s, it's like 21st century fashions haven't quite reached them yet. They seem to be partial to alco-pops too. Something that is strictly a teen and university student drink in the UK seems to be a widespread phenomena across the ages in Russia. Smirnoff Ice (for the obvious reasons) and Bacardi Breezers seem to be particularly popular, at any time of the day. They also get extremely frustrated when the poor Thai staff at restaurants, bars, hotels, etc. can't understand what they're saying. Most waiting staff have come from rural Thai villages and will only just have learnt English so you can imagine how difficult it is for them being confronted by a large Russian man speaking stilted English with a heavy accent. I have trouble understanding some of them. They seem to think that everyone should understand them and start shouting when confused faces stare back at them. It's not pleasant. I saw one incident where a tiny Thai girl was sent away fighting back the tears after a Russian man shouted at her for bringing him a bottle of red wine when he asked for white.

But, there I go again, tarnishing the whole of the Russian population with the same brush. Pattaya for the Russians is like Malaga or Benidorm to the Brits. It's a cheap package destination that perhaps only a certain type of Russian might venture. Enough said.