A look at Thailand's soft power and the status of hallyu

Once a week we connect live to a correspondent overseas who fills us in on K-culture news in their country.

Today, we go over to Thailand, a popular travel destination for Koreans as well as Korean stars with Thailand being at the center of hallyu in Southeast Asia.

We are now connected to Aiyaphat Wankawisant , a Thai K-culture influencer. Hello Aiyaphat, good to see you!

Q1. Please introduce yourself briefly to some of our viewers who might not be familiar with you and tell us how you have been. Any exciting updates?

Q2. Today, we want to delve into Thailand’s soft power, based on which, the country’s tourism is being ramped up even more. Do you recognize such efforts around you?

Q3. Thailand’s tourism sector has reportedly recovered to 90% of its pre-pandemic level, with more than 35.5 million tourists having visited the country last year. Among them, Korean tourists accounted for a high proportion. Do you see many Korean visitors around you, and I heard that hallyu-related tourist spots are popular among them as well?

Q4. Thai people also like to visit Korea. What are the most popular places for them right now?

Q5. The Korean wave also plays an important role in Thailand’s soft power, and at the center of it is Blackpink’s Thai member Lisa. How big of an influence does she have?

Q6. Going back to K-pop. What’s the latest in terms of the popularity of K-pop in Thailand? Also, is it due to the Thai members in Korean groups that we’re seeing this big interest in K-pop in Thailand?

Q7. In a bid to bolster Thailand’s soft power, the country also seems to be actively promoting the “Thai Wave”, or "T-Wave." Do you see similarities between the Thai Wave and the Korean Wave?