On 17 June 2023, Mr. Bancha Yuenyongchongcharoen, Minister, Miss Menaka Thitasaro, First Secretary and Consul, and team of consular staff of the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, organized a mobile consular unit in Jeju province of the Republic of Korea for the first time in three years after the COVID-19 restrictions in the ROK were all lifted, in order to provide consular services for approximately 100 Thai nationals residing on the island as assigned by H.E. Mr. Witchu Vejjajiva, Ambassador of Thailand to the ROK. The consular services included the issuance of passports (5 years and 10 years), the issuance of Emergency Travel Documents, and legalization services.

On this occasion, Minister Bancha met with Mr. Han Yongkil, Director of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Migrant Workers Support Center, to discuss about the living condition of around 300 Thai nationals in Jeju province (most Thais are currently working in agricultural sector and tourism sector) and the consular assistance for these people. Director Han reiterated the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Migrant Workers Support Center’s readiness to assist the Embassy in taking care of Thai nationals who are in distress in Jeju regardless of the visa status. The services that the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Migrant Workers Support Center offers include provision of legal advice, temporary shelters, and provision of healthcare support through medical cost reduction scheme. Minister Bancha took this opportunity to recommend Thai nationals who have been staying in Jeju province for more than 3 months to apply for medical cost reduction scheme which costed 10,000 KRW per month.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul wishes to thank the Embassy’s consular volunteer team led by Mrs. Alice Kim for closely coordinating with the Thai community in Jeju, the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand for allocating the budget for the Embassy, and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Migrant Workers Support Center for allowing the Embassy to use its venue for arranging a mobile consular unit.