Thailand & Kazakhstan Introduce Visa-Free Travel to Drive Tourism Growth – VisaGuide.News

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

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

According to a Bloomberg report, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s cabinet has given the green light to a visa exemption on April 18.

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

The new policy will enter into force 30 days after both countries finish their internal procedures to ensure the agreement is ready.

Wacharonke further noted that Thailand has experienced a surge in Kazakhstani tourist visits following the implementation of a temporary visa waiver program, initiated in September and extended until August.

Thailand Welcomed 9.4 Million Tourists in Q1 of 2024

Thailand has recently witnessed a surge in foreign arrivals, attributed to its visa waiver policies and eased travel regulations, which attracted visitors from around the globe.

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

Overall, the ten top foreign countries that contributed to the highest number of arrivals during this period in Thailand 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)
• The United Kingdom (290,486)
• The United States (280,248)
• Japan (271,427)

Reportedly, the Thai government expects to welcome 35 to 40 million foreign tourists this year, close to the record of 40 million visitors in 2019. In addition, they aim to generate 1.8 trillion baht ($49 billion) in revenue from foreign tourists. Meanwhile, by 2027, Thailand aims to welcome 80 million visitors.

Thailand Is Proposing 6-Nation Visa to Enhance Tourism

In recent months, Thailand has introduced several initiatives in a bid to drive tourism growth.  Such measures include lifting and facilitating visa requirements for several countries around the world.

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