Thanks for warm greetings to all ))
About russians... if you want MY opinion:
Those couple of hundreds or even thousands of russians in HH - this is zero, nothing - call it only a vanguard. The most of the army will come in 5-10 years, and here are the reasons for it:
1) I know what is like in Pattaya and Phuket - and I don't like it, like most of you. Russians that have spend one or two of there vacations there wouldn't go there for a long time-stay. For now most of russians that come to Thailand for more than 30 days, are:
1) mothers with children and grandmothers to stay for winter;
2) some interpreners trying to make business (property agency, restaurant, photography...) - you can count them on fingers in HH
3) freelancers that just like to change the place of life, trying to find something for themselves.
Those groups of russians that you may meet in Market Village, doing shopping and trying exotic food - those are usually the pocket tourists, leaving in a week or so.
Russians (I call russians all the former soviet union people) live mostly in "russian" villages and are not willing to communicate with other nationalities - and the main reason is the language barrier.
2) For russians the most affordable vacation is Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Spain. Thailand is rather expensive and far away. But even among my acquaintances, that have not yet come here, most tell me, that next vacation they will come to Thailand. As people get more money - they will come more.
3) Russian mafia wouldn't come to HH
![Shoot em up :guns:](./images/smilies/icon_guns.gif)
- too far and too boring
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
But russian money and russian business - will. On my opiniom in maximum 10 years if you would like to be in business (no matter - bar, cafe, real estate, music school or car rental) - you will need russian advertising, russian-speaking staff and russian menu )) Otherwise your business will shut... But it is only my opinion.
I don't think HH will turn into Pattaya, but russians will come more from year to year.
And yes, prices for real estate will rise
![naughty :naughty:](./images/smilies/naughty.gif)