Waraphon Piyathansomsin, a renowned influencer and chief executive of Bondi Jelly, more affectionately known by her fans as “Bew”, recently found herself in the middle of a whirlwind of controversy. While travelling to South Korea for a combination of pleasure trip and wedding dress shopping with her soon-to-be spouse, Bew was unexpectedly taken into custody by South Korea’s immigration enforcement. The incident quickly gained traction online, thanks to her dedicated fan base comprising over 700,000 followers.
In what Bew described as her unfortunate first-time experience being held at immigration despite nearly a decade of regular visits to South Korea, she faced inexplicable detention. The immigration officials provided no information as to why she was detained. Her fiancé, however, was given the green light and was allowed to proceed without her.
Bew shares how she and three to four other detainees spent the night in a frigid holding cell, equipped with little but an odoriferous, thin blanket to provide some semblance of comfort on the bare, hard floor. The severe limitations in the room extended to personal grooming as well. Their luggage was confiscated, leaving them without basic essentials like clothes, toiletries or even a basic toothbrush for their overnight stay.
Not one to back down, Bew stood her ground and rolled out a protest against her impending deportation to Thailand. Her vigil lasted resortingly until 8am the day following her detention. Yet, despite this show of resilience, her appeal was met with rejection from the South Korean immigration department, and she was directed to return to Thailand immediately.
This strange ordeal has incited other frequent travellers to South Korea to disclose their own experiences dealing with immigration. A recurring theme noticed in these shared narratives is the potential biases against Thai citizens who are viewed as “Phinoy”, a derogatory term for illegal workers. This stereotype seems to disproportionately affect Thai tourists, including those visiting for vacations or famed K-Pop concerts, only for them to face unexpected deportation.
Some speculate that these seemingly arbitrary detentions might result from the ad hoc decisions made by immigration officers. Regardless of transparent evidence demonstrating no intention of engaging in illicit work, these officers seemingly turn a deaf ear. Prominent actress Waranuch Phirmphakdi, also known as Noon, seemingly testified to this claim. A report from Sanook highlighted her own previous experience with unwarranted detention in South Korea’s immigration.
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