From love to hate — why Thais have turned against South Korea

Netizens were piqued about the reasons behind this sudden dislike for South Korea, one of the most popular destinations among Thai tourists.

X user “nuri_kw” said that the call for a ban stemmed from Thais who are fed up with the stringent regulations of South Korea’s immigration office, which, according to her, is “one of the toughest in the world”.

“Several Thais visiting South Korea got stuck in the immigration process and were eventually sent back, no matter how many documents they presented to guarantee their credibility,” she said.

She added that she was randomly detained for an interview on four occasions despite having visited Korea several times.

“I’m familiar with the questioning process and have prepared all the information regarding my stay and my travel,” she said. “In the end, Korean immigration officials still denied me access, sometimes for a ridiculous reason like I’m holding too much money for my salary. No kidding! I saved money for 5 years for this trip.”

Another X user, who preferred not to be named, said that he was asked by Korean immigration why he did not visit another country for a change, after seeing that he had visited Korea four times.

“I don’t appreciate being questioned ceaselessly like I’m some kind of criminal,” he said.

Many netizens who shared similar experiences jumped in, several of whom mentioned that Korea’s immigration officials are often rude toward Thai travellers.

This unfair treatment was made worse by several Thais managing to sneak into South Korea illegally to work in the country’s manufacturing or agriculture sectors, where there is high demand of manual labour.

These illegal workers, dubbed “Phi Noi” (little ghost), are estimated to be over 100,000 persons, residing under the radar in South Korea.

Both Thai and South Korean authorities are reportedly well aware of the problem. Instead, it is legitimate Thai tourists who are paying the price and are denied access to South Korea.

To help those planning to visit South Korea avoid these pain points, The Nation has compiled a compact list of dos and don’ts before entering the Korean immigration office:

1. Make sure you have all immigration documents required by the authority.

2. Keep evidence of plane tickets for both the arrival and return trips.

3. Prepare a detailed travel plan in South Korea, complete with places to visit, date, time, mode of transport, and maps of said locations.

4. Make sure you have evidence of hotel reservation along with detailed contact information while you are in the country.

5. If you are there to work legally, make sure you have a certificate from your employer detailing your personal info, employment contract, and accommodation in South Korea.

6. If you have just had your passport renewed, it is advisable to bring along the old one as well, in case a reference is needed for identification.

7. Dress properly. Immigration interview is much like job interview. Make sure you dress professionally and avoid clothes that are “too casual” or “too colourful”.

8. Use suitcases of appropriate size for your stay to avoid raising suspicion, which could lead to “random interview” at the immigration office.

9. Answer the questions truthfully, clearly and with confidence, ideally in English or Korean to ensure mutual understanding with local officials.