Thailand plays down ‘too expensive’ concerns from South Korean visitors

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by SCMP’s Asia deskFebruary 13, 2026 at 09:25 AM

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Thailand has sought to address concerns that its holiday destination is becoming too expensive for South Korean tourists. According to officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), exchange rate volatility rather than inflation is behind the perceived squeeze on budgets. The country's headline inflation was negative for a 10th straight month in January, driven by lower energy prices. Despite this, Thailand's internal prices remain stable. The TAT aims to attract around 36 million foreign visitors by the end of the year, including 1.55 million South Koreans who visited in 2025. Thailand drew 32.9 million foreign visitors in 2025, with its sandy beaches being a major draw for tourists.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tourism Authority of Thailand 50% Sirigesanong Trirattanasongpol 60% South Korea ×270% Thailand ×380%

Keywords

thailand tourism 100% south korean tourists 90% cost-effective travel 70% exchange rate 60% inflation rate 60% travel budget 50% tourism authority 50% wellness tourism 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Positive

Score: 0.80

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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thailand tourism south korean tourists cost-effective travel exchange rate inflation rate travel budget tourism authority wellness tourism

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