S. Korea expands travel alert to entire Thailand

South Korea's foreign ministry expanded its travel alert to an entire region of Thailand, which has been plagued by the six-month-long anti-government protest.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Wednesday that it issued the lowest level of travel alert for the entire Thailand, while maintaining higher levels of travel alert for other rally-hit areas. South Korea has a four-tier travel alert system composed of cautiousness, warning, restriction and ban.

The ministry applied the lowest level of alert to the capital city of Bangkok and its adjacent areas as well as other regions.

The travel warning has been already issued for Surin and Sisaket bordering Cambodia, while the travel restriction will be maintained for NaraThwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla provinces bordering Malaysia.

The expansion came a day after the Thai army declared martial law to restore public order. The military was given a full control to prevent protests and violence in the Southeast Asian nation.