Thailand inks visa free agreement with another Muslim country

ASTANA - In another pro-tourism move, Thailand has approved the permanent waiver of visas for tourists hailing from Kazakhstan.

A government spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that the Thai cabinet has approved the proposal for the citizens from Kazakhstan.

Thailand's initiative follows the prior approval of a visa waiver for Chinese visitors on a permanent basis which has led to a spike in the number of tourist arrivals from the country.

It bears mentioning that the authorities in Thailand have been easing visa restrictions for multiple countries as the social distancing protocols have been lifted across the world.

As far as statistics are concerned, Chinese tourists constitute the second-largest group of foreign visitors to Thailand, trailing only behind Malaysia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand projected an anticipated influx of up to 3.5 million Chinese visitors for the entirety of 2023.

Compared to pre-pandemic figures in 2019 when Thailand welcomed nearly 11 million Chinese tourists, the projected 2023 numbers signify progress. The government has also initiated a visa-free trial for visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.

Thailand, a popular tourist hub, has actively sought support from Germany in securing the visa exemption. During an official visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Thailand, Prime Minister Thavisin appealed for assistance in exempting Thai nationals from visa requirements for Schengen countries, highlighting the existing visa-free regime enjoyed by citizens of these nations in Thailand.

To attract tourists, Thailand has also proposed a regional agreement with Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Vietnam to enable tourists holding visas from one of these countries to travel freely to the others without additional visa requirements.