Russian Migration to Siam (Thailand) in the Context of Bilateral Relations Development, Nineteenth to Twenty First Centuries

Introduction. Historically, Siam (Thailand) has been an open country for representatives of different nations due to its geographical location and religious tolerance. Goals. The study seeks to evaluate impacts of bilateral international relations on the past/present determinants and features of Russian migration to Siam (Thailand). The paper is first to consider the phenomenon of tourism and forms of Russian migration to Siam (Thailand) through the prism of bilateral relations development in comparative retrospective and present-day contexts. Materials and methods. The works focuses on pre-revolutionary Russian publications, scholarly editions, available statistical data on migration and tourism (Tourism Authority and Immigration Bureau of Thailand, Border Service and Federal Agency for Tourism of Russia). The work involves a VK-based survey held in July 2024 among Russian citizens aged 18 and over who have been residing in Thailand for at least two years. The questionnaire contains a total of 19 questions to identify sociodemographic characteristics, features of adaptation and employment, access to social networks and media in Thailand. Results. The 1897 visit of Tsesarevich Nicholas II to Bangkok and establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Siam (Thailand) were followed by a variety of messages about the mysterious ‘Land of White Elephants’. As of 1899, the population of Siam (Thailand) was ca. 9 million, including 27 thousand foreigners and only 7 Russians. However, the late nineteenth century witnessed Russia’s active efforts aimed at developing political, trade and economic ties with Siam (Thailand). The 2000s relations renaissance has been largely manifested through the phenomenon of tourism and migration. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, about 1.5 million Russians visited the country in 2023, which ranks Russia fifth after Malaysia, China, South Korea and India. So, the 2023 tourist flow from the Russian Federation to Thailand did exceed the pre-pandemic levels. Russian and Chinese citizens have become major real estate buyers in Thailand (with utmost demand for villas in Phuket). Temporary or permanent Russian residents tend to develop objects of ‘Russian-speaking economy’, produce jobs for locals, and pay taxes.

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