Landing in Southeast Asia in early, then mid-2024, as I lined up at immigration, I saw officers handed what seemed like an endless stream of Russian passports.

I’d overheard whispers as I stood in line – Russians are now the largest non‑Asian tourist group across much of Asia. In Thailand, more than 1.4mn had arrived in the previous 12 months.

This wave of arrivals, however, isn't just about tourism. As a regular traveller all over Northeast and Southeast Asia for years, from Japan to Singapore and Vietnam to South Korea, the increased presence of Russians, young men in particular, is evident. They are quite literally everywhere.

Since President Putin announced partial mobilisation in September 2022, hundreds of thousands of Russian men – mainly in their 20s and early 30s – have fled the country to avoid being drafted. While official figures are murky at best, one estimate puts the number at up to 700,000 fleeing mobilisation in all.

Many reportedly sought refuge in Kazakhstan, where visa‑free entry allowed 98,000 in the first week after mobilisation and over 100,000 in total in mere days. By late September the same year, around 200,000 had entered Kazakhstan, and border crossings into its Caucasus neighbour, Georgia, surged.

In fact, Georgia’s Russian population rose to over 3% of its population by the end of 2022, before falling slightly in 2023. Officially they were termed ‘economic migrants’ although in the case of their presence in Asia, finances never appear to be an issue.

Southeast Asia has been profoundly affected by the presence of so many Russians. According to Time, Cyrillic signs are commonplace in Thailand and in the beach resort of Phuket alone, 366,095 Russians arrived in the first three months of 2024; a figure almost double that seen in same period in 2023, Time reported.

This isn’t simply a post-pandemic tourism rebound either – many have no intent to return to Russia while conscription looms ….. if ever.

Long-term residents in Thailand inform me that there are stories of thousands applying for long‑term Thai visas citing business and education reasons. Coincidentally – or not – marriage visas have supposedly increased in number too.

Time also reports that in Phuket's luxury 1,000-acre Laguna complex – a mini‑city of villas, golf course and a marina – the real estate office admitted that over 50% residents are now Russian.

This demographic shift has rippled through the local economy. Real estate prices in Laguna have increased dramatically, Russian-run businesses proliferate and many young male ‘relocants’ as Russians reportedly opt to call themselves, have suddenly repurposed as tour‑guide operators.

As expected, this massive and often unwelcome influx hasn’t been without friction. Some locals complain about job competition, cultural faux‑pas committed by Russians and increased crime rates.

Time cites a local Thai official as saying of rising tensions that Russians often ignore Thai laws. Claims of Russians being involved in human trafficking, extortion and sex work are far from unusual.

Beyond Thailand, the pattern repeats across Southeast Asia. In Indonesia and India, reports claim that thousands of young Russian men turn up on tourist visas and simply never leave, either staying illegally or quietly renewing if possible.

It is a similar story in South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere. That visa-hops between visa-free countries, including Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, are common means these ‘economic migrants / relocants’ are able to stay indefinitely.

As such, questions now being asked centre on how overstayers, undocumented workers and Russian draft‑dodgers will integrate, if they will ever attempt to do so.

Local infrastructure, law enforcement and real‑estate markets are already being reshaped. Real estate in regions popular with Russians is more crowded, oftentimes illegally so. Rental prices have soared, and the hospitality sector in some areas is recalibrating to serve Russian‑speaking clients. And as long as Russia continues its war and conscription lingers, so too will the influx.

Southeast Asia has become a refuge of sorts for young Russian men, and very occasionally their families. Some may stay long-term and integrate. Many will not, but the impression they are currently leaving on a number of Asian countries and tens of millions of locals is far from positive.