Thai woman among dead in Seoul as Khao San Halloween party goes ahead

Thai woman among dead in Seoul as Khao San Halloween party goes ahead

Flowers are laid on Sunday at the scene of a Halloween stampede in the capital's popular Itaewon district in Seoul. (AFP photo)
Flowers are laid on Sunday at the scene of a Halloween stampede in the capital's popular Itaewon district in Seoul. (AFP photo)

A Thai female student was among those killed in a Halloween crush in Seoul on Saturday night, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday evening.

Earliler, the Thai embassy said it had been informed by South Korean police that one Thai had died in the in the stampede in the South Korean capital's Itaewon district on Saturday night.  

The deceased was a female student on a language course in South Korea, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Saengrat said later on Sunday.

He said said the victim was 27 and had studied the Korean language for two months. The embassy had informed her family about the loss and offered to help arrange for the body to be flown home. 

Any Thais wanting to contact the embassy in Seoul can call 010-6747-0095 or 010-3099-2955 around the clock, an embassy statement said. The number for a South Korean centre for inquiries about those missing after the stampede is 02-2199-8660.

All Thais were strongly advised by the embassy to avoid events throughout the country, it said.

South Korea has been one of the most popular destinations for Thai tourists since it lifted Covid-19 restrictions.

Some Thais posted photos of their friends on Twitter asking for help to locate them on Saturday night.

More than 150 people were killed in the crush as an estimated 100,000 people packed alleys and steep roads. The crush took place at 10pm (8pm Thailand time) on Saturday.

South Korea has cancelled several events in the wake of the tragedy. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha joined other international leaders in offering condolences.

Khao San not spooked

Khao San Road is planning a Halloween party on Monday to energise the tourism sector after the Covid-19 outbreak wreaked havoc on the industry.

Sa-nga Ruengwattanakul, the president of the Khao San Road Business Association, said the event in the capital will be held as planned with measures to handle party-goers, according to Channel 3 online.

The Khao San business leader said that before the party starts, the association will hold talks with Phra Nakhon district officials on safety measures and a plan to limit the number of people who can enter the area.

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