South Korea sent 769,930 visitors to Thailand between January and August 2026, down 24.78 per cent on the same months of 2025 and the steepest fall of any top-ten market. By 19 September the count had reached 811,246, still enough to make Korea Thailand's fifth-largest source market this year. This guide, from a Thailand DMC for travel agents, sets out what the figures say, what the reporting blames for the fall, and how a Korea-origin file should be built for the winter season.
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What the numbers say
The fall did not start this year. Reporting at the end of 2025 put Korean visitors to Thailand at about 1.4 million for that year, down from about 1.8 million in 2024. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports' January to August 2026 figures show the decline deepening: Korea at 769,930, down 24.78 per cent, while the total for all markets was down 3.08 per cent and China was up 16.05 per cent. Korea is now the largest percentage loss among Thailand's main markets.
The weekly data is less one-sided. Korean arrivals have shown short surges around holidays, and the Chuseok break from 24 to 26 September was expected to lift the September count. A market that still moves on holidays is a market that has not given up on Thailand; it is choosing more carefully when it goes.
Why arrivals fell, as reported
Three causes recur in Thai reporting, and TAT has named the first itself. Competition from Vietnam, which TAT says offers lower-priced products and stronger flight support. A slower Korean economy, which squeezes discretionary travel. And safety perception, with coverage of tension on the Thai–Cambodian border and of transnational crime cited as weighing on Korean confidence. Korean carriers also trimmed Thailand capacity during 2026, citing fuel costs.
None of those is a reason Korean clients dislike Thailand. Two are about price and seats, and one is about what the client has read. That matters for an agent, because price and reassurance are both things a well-built quotation can address.
How to build a Korea-origin file this winter
Compete on completeness, not on the headline rate. A client comparing Thailand with Vietnam will compare totals. Quote the whole ground programme as one figure, with transfers, guiding and entrances inside it, so the comparison is like for like. A Thailand DMC can often close a gap on the ground side that a room rate alone cannot.
Use the products Korea already buys. Winter golf has long been a Korean reason to come to Thailand, and our golf tourism desk books tee times, caddies and transfers as one package. Family and short-break files suit a Bangkok stay plus one beach base; Pattaya and Phuket are the usual pairings.
Answer the safety question before it is asked. A client who has read about the border wants to hear that their itinerary is nowhere near it, that transfers are private and that someone local answers the phone. Say where the programme goes, name the ground contact, and describe how a problem would be handled. Our 24/7 support is part of every file.
Plan around Korean holidays. The Lunar New Year break and the school winter holidays are the next windows. Hold golf and family rooms against them early, because a careful market books late and still expects the good dates.
Where the claim stops
The causes above are what Thai officials and reporting have said, not measured shares of the decline, and no source here weighs one against another. Do not tell a client that Thailand is cheaper than Vietnam or that the border issue is resolved; both are claims that change and neither is ours to make. What you can say with confidence is what your own quotation includes and where the itinerary goes. For how Thailand's demand differs by origin, see the source-markets page and our note on what a soft arrivals year changes for agencies. Our Thailand DMC services cover the full ground programme, and the trade desk will quote a Korea-origin brief as one complete figure.
Frequently asked questions
How far have Korean arrivals to Thailand fallen?
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports counted 769,930 Korean arrivals from January to August 2026, down 24.78 per cent year on year. That follows a fall in 2025 to about 1.4 million, from about 1.8 million in 2024. Korea was still Thailand's fifth-largest market by 19 September, at 811,246.
Why are fewer Koreans choosing Thailand?
Reporting cites competition from Vietnam on price and flights, a slower Korean economy, and safety concerns fed by coverage of the Thai–Cambodian border and transnational crime. Korean carriers also cut some Thailand capacity during 2026, citing fuel costs.
What does a Korean client still book in Thailand?
Winter golf, family short breaks and Bangkok-plus-beach combinations remain the core. Build them as complete packages quoted in one figure, and time them to Korean holiday periods such as Lunar New Year and the school winter break.
How should an agent handle a client's safety concerns?
Be specific rather than general. Say where the itinerary goes and how far it is from any area in the news, explain that transfers are private, and give a named local contact with 24-hour cover. Ask your Thailand DMC to put the emergency procedure in writing with the quotation.
Can Thailand compete with Vietnam on price?
Not by claiming to be cheaper. Compete on what the total includes: private transfers, licensed guides, entrances and support inside one figure. A complete quotation often narrows the gap a headline rate comparison suggests.
