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[Global Times correspondent in Thailand Zhang Jinruo, Global Times reporter Ni Hao, Global Times special correspondent Ren Zhong] In 2019 before the epidemic, influenced by K-Pop, Korean dramas and other Korean culture, the number of Thai tourists to South Korea reached a record high, with a total of 572,000 people, making it the country with the most tourists to South Korea in the ASEAN region. However, recently, Thai tourists' enthusiasm for South Korea seems to have cooled down. A report in the Nikkei Asian Review on the 11th stated that Thai tourists seemed to be affected by the social media hashtag "Ban on Travel to South Korea", and Thai tourists now prefer to travel to China and Japan instead of South Korea.

"No entry into Korea" label

"Last year, I was rejected by Korean immigration and sent back to Bangkok immediately," Koksuwan, a 42-year-old housekeeper from the northeastern province of Kalasin, told Nikkei Asian Review. "I never want to go to Korea again. This was the most stressful trip I've ever taken. I have a very bad impression of Korea."

College student Shi Ya told the Global Times reporter in Thailand on the 12th that in recent years, not only have Thais encountered a high number of visa rejections when traveling to South Korea, but they have also been unable to obtain reasonable and clear explanations for the rejections, and many Thais have expressed their dissatisfaction online.

Japanese media also mentioned that South Korea's strict entry inspections even turned away some Thais who had obtained electronic pre-approval to arrive in South Korea. These Thai tourists were unable to recover their air tickets, hotels or travel prepayments, resulting in losses of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. To make matters worse, South Korean customs officials stamped their passports with entry denial stamps, making it more difficult for them to enter other countries. South Korea blames the problem on illegal workers from Thailand.