Thailand and Kazakhstan are introducing visa-free travel to boost tourism growth

Thailand and Kazakhstan have reached a visa-free travel agreement in a bid to boost tourism in their countries.

This agreement would allow citizens of the aforementioned countries to travel to each other’s countries visa-free, with a limit of 30 days per visit and a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period, VisaGuide.World reports.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s office gave the green light to a visa waiver on April 18.

Meanwhile, Thai government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said the agreement will be signed during Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu’s visit to Bangkok on April 23, 2024.

The new policy will come into effect 30 days after both countries complete their internal procedures to ensure the agreement is ready.

Wacharonke further noted that Thailand has experienced a surge in tourist visits to Kazakhstan following the implementation of a temporary visa waiver program, which started in September and was extended until August.

Thailand welcomed 9.4 million tourists in the first quarter of 2024

Thailand has recently witnessed a surge in foreign arrivals, attributed to its visa waiver policy and relaxed travel rules, which attracted visitors from around the world.

During the first three months of 2024, Thailand recorded approximately 9.4 million foreign tourists. China, Malaysia and Russia topped the list of foreign tourists visiting Thailand.

Overall, the top ten foreign countries that contributed to the highest number of arrivals in Thailand during this period were:

• China (1.7 million)
• Malaysia (1.2 million)
• Russia (622,813)
• South Korea (558,873)
• India(472,952)
• Germany (315,033)
• Laos (308,097)
• Great Britain (290,486)
• The United States (280,248)
• Japan (271,427)

The Thai government reportedly expects to welcome 35 to 40 million foreign tourists this year, close to the record 40 million visitors in 2019. They also want to generate 1.8 trillion baht ($49 billion) in revenue from foreign tourists. Meanwhile, Thailand aims to welcome 80 million visitors by 2027.

Thailand proposes visa for six countries to promote tourism

In recent months, Thailand has introduced several initiatives in an effort to boost tourism growth. Such measures include lifting and facilitating visa requirements for various countries around the world.

In addition, Thailand’s Prime Minister has proposed a Schengen-style visa with five other neighboring countries in a bid to boost tourist numbers. According to an earlier report by Bloomberg, the Thai prime minister has discussed a joint visa program with leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam.