This post was originally published on France24
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.