Thailand wants to see more tourists from Kazakhstan by approving a visa-free regime

On September 13, the Cabinet of Ministers of Thailand approved a visa-free regime with Kazakhstan, which is going to last from September 25, 2023, to February 29, 2024, according to The Reporters, a news agency from Thailand. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand.

What benefits will Thailand obtain from a visa-free regime with Kazakhstan? The ministry believes that a visa-free regime with Kazakhstan for 30 days will boost revenues in the country’s service sector. In general, the Kingdom of Thailand is expecting the number of tourists to increase by 30%.

Which countries have recently obtained a visa-free regime with Thailand? Apart from Kazakhstan, a visa-free regime has also been approved for China. The new rule will enter into force on September 25.

According to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of Thailand, the purpose of introducing a visa-free regime with China and Kazakhstan is to attract more tourists to the country, Thaipbsword reported.

This year, the number of tourists from China is lower than expected.

«Tourists from Kazakhstan are seeking to relax in Thailand due to severe winters in this country,» the prime minister noted.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports predicted that five to seven million Chinese tourists would visit Thailand over the period from January to July. However, only two million Chinese actually visited the country. Currently, many people in China prefer more affordable options and travel within the country.

Can the visa-free regime with Kazakhstan be extended? Once the trial period for a visa-free regime is over in February 2024, the government of Thailand will evaluate the implications of the move for its sphere of tourism.

On August 21, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan visited Vietnam where he and his Vietnamese counterpart signed an agreement on a visa-free regime between the two countries.

In July 2022, Kazakhstan introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of China, India and Iran for a period of 14 days. The total period of stay in Kazakhstan under the visa-free regime for citizens of these countries should not exceed 42 calendar days during each 180-day period.

Citizens of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan can visit either country freely and stay there for up to 30 days without registration.