Thai authorities report normal flight operations with South Korea despite a significant drop in South Korean visitors this year. Officials are implementing strategies to rejuvenate demand. Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Ltd. (AEROTHAI) confirms that air traffic operations adhere to international standards.

 

The chairman of AEROTHAI, Pichet Kunathamrak, assures that their personnel and safety measures are well-prepared to maintain seamless tourism operations. The data reveals 19,870 international flights between Thailand and various countries, with South Korean airports like Incheon contributing the most significant share. The current air route ranks eighth in international traffic, accounting for approximately 4% of the total, with expectations for increased flights in the coming months.

 

Visitor numbers have noticeably dropped, with about 1.4 million South Koreans visiting Thailand in 2025, compared to 1.8 million in 2024. Thailand’s ambassador to South Korea, Thani Saengrat, attributes this decline to economic conditions and negative foreign media. Reports of Thai-Cambodian border tensions and transnational crime have impacted tourists' perceptions of safety.

 

Efforts to revive tourism include collaboration between the Thai Embassy in Seoul and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Strategies focus on promotional campaigns during the winter, including inviting South Korean influencers to showcase Thailand’s diverse attractions. We anticipate that the appointment of K-pop star Lalisa "Lisa" Manobal as an Amazing Thailand Ambassador will enhance tourism interest among South Koreans.

 

AEROTHAI is also gearing up for more air traffic during the extended New Year holiday, with projections of 27,632 total flights. The Transport Ministry’s plans aim to enhance travel efficiency and maintain safety during this peak period, reported Khaosod.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• South Korean visits to Thailand have declined by over 400,000 in 2025.
• Negative media and economic slowdown are cited as primary reasons.
• Thailand introduces promotional efforts featuring K-pop influencers.

Related Stories:

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Thai Woman Denied Entry to South Korea Over Odd Immigration Query

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khaosod 2025-12-16

 

 

 

Forgive me if i am wrong. But the same amount of flights with 400,000 less passengers does not make sense. How could the airlines possibly stay afloat with such losses unless....... they are overcharging their rates to compensate for their losses with these flights. 

The thing about reading Thai news in Thailand is that one receives the Thai view/perspective.

 

On the other hand, reading Thai news published outside of Thailand one receives a more accurate view/perspective on what is happening in Thailand.

 

Although some travel magazines/sites are publishing "awesomely" positive reviews of traveling in Thailand, many others are publishing items warning tourists of the "dangers" of traveling in Thailand and to be super alert to the threats to personal safety and well-being. 

 

As an aside - a Vietnamese language website I view at times recently had a post of the "flag disaster" at the SEAsian games in Bangkok, when the Thai authorities raised the Chinese flag instead of the Vietnamese flag.  Some comments questioned where Thailand was really a Chinese colony, others commented on how ignorant/stupid the Thais are. 

"negative foreign media"

I guess that means news reporting on the very real conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Was he expecting 'positive' foreign media reporting? Foreign media, by and large, report facts straight up. Unlike the Thai media that avoid any direct references that may be unflattering of Thailand in any shape.

21 hours ago, thesetat said:

Forgive me if i am wrong. But the same amount of flights with 400,000 less passengers does not make sense. How could the airlines possibly stay afloat with such losses unless....... they are overcharging their rates to compensate for their losses with these flights. 

      It's likely not 400,000 fewer passengers, although there certainly could be a drop in passenger numbers.  It's 400,000 fewer Koreans visiting Thailand.  The last time I visited America I flew Korean Air to Seoul and changed planes there for the flight to the US.  Not everyone flying Korea-Thailand and Thailand-Korea is a Korean tourist. 

These days, the only people who visit Thailand are those with no imagination, such as Russians, Indians, and Chinese. 

Nonsense. Korean visitors are down because the Korean Won is the worst performing currency in Asia.  Several years ago you could get 28 baht per thousand won. When I last checked yesterday it was 21 baht, per thousand Won... that's a pretty significant decline.

My Korean friends living here tell me that that the ridiculously strong Thai Bhat vs weak KRW are absolutely to blame. Thailand is expensive for Koreans now and there's no amount of adverts that's going to bring them back any time soon.

I wouldn't be surprised if South Koreans don't enjoy holidaying among Indians too much. Then there's the strong baht, the occasional abduction/murder, flooding, the border conflict, ... the TAT has its work cut out for it!

On 12/16/2025 at 8:07 AM, webfact said:

Thai authorities report normal flight operations with South Korea despite a significant drop in South Korean visitors this year. Officials are implementing strategies to rejuvenate demand.

Try having some better attractions than they have at home... that usually works

23 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

The thing about reading Thai news in Thailand is that one receives the Thai view/perspective.

That's just like the BBC.  You only receive the UK view/perspective.  

On 12/16/2025 at 6:37 AM, JimHuaHin said:

The thing about reading Thai news in Thailand is that one receives the Thai view/perspective.

 

On the other hand, reading Thai news published outside of Thailand one receives a more accurate view/perspective on what is happening in Thailand.

 

Although some travel magazines/sites are publishing "awesomely" positive reviews of traveling in Thailand, many others are publishing items warning tourists of the "dangers" of traveling in Thailand and to be super alert to the threats to personal safety and well-being. 

 

As an aside - a Vietnamese language website I view at times recently had a post of the "flag disaster" at the SEAsian games in Bangkok, when the Thai authorities raised the Chinese flag instead of the Vietnamese flag.  Some comments questioned where Thailand was really a Chinese colony, others commented on how ignorant/stupid the Thais are. 

Most definitely they are the latter!

 

On 12/15/2025 at 10:37 PM, JimHuaHin said:

Some comments questioned where Thailand was really a Chinese colony, others commented on how ignorant/stupid the Thais are. 

Both can be true

On 12/16/2025 at 8:07 AM, webfact said:

Thai authorities report normal flight operations with South Korea despite a significant drop in South Korean visitors this year.

I would expect "normal flight operations" NOT to be affected by number of any international visitors. 

Whether the plane be full or almost empty, flight operations shouldn't be affected other than to operate normally. 

Well, that Korean airliner(on a flight from Bangkok to Korea) that crashed into a huge wall killing practically everyone on board will cause a significant drop in tourism.

 

Plus, fan death!

All the young S. Korea guys are populating Angeles city in the Philippines now, where some of them even own bars, and I'm told that come 6pm those young s. koreans come and pretty much clean the bars for most of the girls...