Opposed to Putin’s war in Ukraine, Russians find exile in Thailand

Russians have been flocking to Thailand since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as they can enter the Southeast Asian country without a tourist visa. Last year, more than half a million Russians visited Thailand, some 20 percent more than in 2019. But tens of thousands of them don’t go home. They are opponents of President Vladimir Putin, deserters and young men avoiding conscription for the war in Ukraine. Around 60,000 Russians are now thought to be living in Thailand illegally. Our team travelled to Koh Phangan, an island in the Gulf of Thailand, where Russian men and women have formed a small community of exiles. FRANCE 24’s William de Tamaris and Justin McCurry report.