On April 23, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu paid an official visit to Thailand upon the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara.
During the talks, the sides discussed the current state and prospects for the development of Kazakh-Thai relations in political, trade, economic, investment, cultural, and humanitarian spheres.
Foreign Minister Nurtleu emphasized the consistent growth of mutual interest of the two countries in the field of trade. The growth of bilateral trade turnover in the post-Covid period reached a historical maximum of 367 million US dollars by the end of 2023.
“Thailand is the largest and reliable partner of Kazakhstan in the Southeast Asian region. Over three decades of strong diplomatic relations, regular contacts between our states have paved the way for comprehensive and fruitful interaction,” said the Kazakh Foreign Minister.
Both sides noted the significant potential of cooperation in the sphere of agriculture and food security. They stressed the need to intensify contacts of business circles and search for the most advantageous conditions for transportation of goods between the two countries.
Cooperation in tourism is actively developing, the number of direct flights between the two countries is growing. In 2023, 172 thousand Kazakh tourists visited Thailand, 2.5-fold more than in 2022.
The foreign ministers signed an intergovernmental agreement on the exemption from visa requirements of national passport holders. According to this document, citizens of both countries can stay without a visa for up to 30 calendar days from the date of entry into each other’s territory.
A Memorandum of Understanding in the Field of Tourism was also signed between the ministries of tourism and sports of Kazakhstan and Thailand.
Photo: Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry
