Thailand extends visa exemption for wealthy Kazakh tourists for another six months

By Hoang Vu February 21, 2024 | 03:46 pm PT

Umbrellas are seen in a restaurant as tourists enjoy a beach in the island of Phuket in Thailand, Jan. 19, 2023. Photo by Reuters

The Thai government has decided to extend the visa-free policy for high-spending Kazakh tourists for another six months until Aug. 31 in an effort to boost tourism spending.

Each Kazakh tourist spends as much as 75,000 baht (US$2,083) on average while visitors in general spend about 45,000 baht each, Prime Minister SretthaThavisin said, according to Bangkok Post.

Srettha said the government decided to extend visa waiver for this nationality because they were big spenders and helped revive the Thai tourism industry, Nation Thailand reported.

Thailand began allowing tourists from Kazakhstan to enter without a visa on Sept. 25 last year, and this waiver was to be in effect until Feb. 29.

Last year, a record 172,000 Kazakhs visited Thailand.