The tourism sector has requested Thailand to scrap a new regulation discriminating against Vietnamese visitors after they were mistreated by customs officials there during the April 30 – May 1 holiday.

In order to enter Thailand through the Arayaprathet border gate, a group of Vietnamese tourists were ordered to show each 700 USD in cash while Thai customs officials took photograph of them holding the money, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) mentioned the case in a document recently sent to the Thailand Authority of Tourism (TAT) Office in Vietnam.

The VNAT described such behavior as offensive and has sparked outcry among the Vietnamese travellers, damaging the two countries’ relations and tourism sectors.

Such regulation runs counter to bilateral efforts within the ASEAN tourism cooperation framework that facilitates travelling and trade among member nations, it stated.

It also asked for an urgent response from the TAT in this regard.-VNA