Thailand’s top diplomat requested the South Korean government on Friday to make it more convenient for Thai travellers to visit Seoul, the foreign ministry said, amid reports of negative sentiment within the Southeast Asian country due to Thai travellers being denied entry. The request was made during bilateral talks between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa, in Seoul, the ministry said in a release, Yonhap news agency reported. Since last year, stricter screening under the new Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) system, which requires pre-travel approval for most nationalities, has led to increased instances of Thai travellers being refused entry to South Korea. During the talks, Maris asked for the South Korean government’s interest and support to make entry for Thai travellers more convenient, emphasising that active exchanges between the two countries are the foundation of their friendly and cooperative relationship, the ministry said. In response, Cho explained the government’s efforts to expand personal and labour exchanges, proposing that both countries work together to strengthen cooperation in a more forward-looking direction. Earlier this year, the Culture Ministry requested the Justice Ministry include Thailand in the temporary K-ETA exemptions, but it was rejected. The justice ministry reportedly has defended the stricter entry rules for Thai nationals as necessary to prevent illegal immigration. Thailand, previously the top Southeast Asian source market for South Korean tourism before the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, now ranks second behind Vietnam. The two ministers also agreed to launch a so-called “two plus two” director-level consultative body involving foreign and diplomatic sectors to contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity.
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