Thai tourists turn away from South Korea amid strict immigration complaints

The number of Thai visitors to South Korea in the first half of this year fell by 19.1% year-on-year to around 168,300, according to data from the Korea Tourism Organization.

Before the pandemic, Thailand was the leading source of visitors to South Korea with more than 572,000 arrivals in 2019, driven by the popularity of K-pop.

The decline in Thai tourists is partly due to issues with the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization system, which was launched in 2021, Nation Thailand reported.

The system allows travelers from 112 countries and territories to register their information and receive travel approval to enter South Korea online.

However, many Thai tourists have complained they have been denied entry to the country and/or suffered scrutiny by South Korean immigration authorities despite holding valid documents, Nikkei Asia reported.

China and Japan, which already offered visa waivers for Thai tourists, are expected to become their favorite destinations.

Thai Travel Agents Association estimated 1.2 million Thai citizens would visit China this year, double 2019’s figure after both countries permanently waived visa requirements for each other's citizens from March.

Japan has offered visa exemptions for Thai visitors since 2013, allowing them to enter Japan without a visa for up to 15 days.