Chiravadee Khunsub, deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas at the TAT, said Thailand faces higher competition from other destinations in the region, particularly Vietnam, which is attracting tourists with attractive pricing and products.
This year, chartered flights from Kazakhstan decreased from the previous year, as direct flights to Surat Thani were discontinued, reports the Bangkok Post.
The Thai tourism industry remains volatile, attributed to border disputes and global geopolitics, she said.
As of Dec 14, the number of Kazakh tourists this year tallied 152,783, down 15% year-on-year.
This market was regarded as a rising star for Thai tourism post-pandemic, thanks to a visa-free scheme for Kazakh tourists in 2023, which pushed the number to 172,489 from only 50,000 to 60,000 before the pandemic.
Mrs Chiravadee said 2024 was a peak year for Kazakh arrivals with 195,089.
According to the TAT, Kazakh tourists spent B50,000-60,000 per trip on average, with a main segment families with children. They mostly opted for beaches, natural attractions and historical places.
Popular destinations for the market include Thailand, Vietnam, China, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Georgia, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
She said the TAT would continue working with airlines to increase scheduled flights and revive chartered flights to grow the market by 5% ‒ the same target as the total long-haul market that already exceeded 10 million this year.
Thailand should not compete by offering heavy discounts, but rather adding value through experiences and quality services, said Mrs Chiravadee.
This week Thailand welcomed an inaugural flight from Shymkent to Bangkok operated by SCAT Airlines, with two weekly flights.
Shymkent is the third-largest city in Kazakhstan, with potential to attract more tourists, she said.
This route was among 10 new routes the airline added to its schedule this year, said Andrey Biber, head of routes for SCAT Airlines.
The airline plans to collaborate with other Thai carriers, possibly through interline agreements, to drive Kazakh tourists to other cities in Thailand, he said.
More than 70% of passengers on the route were Kazakh, with 5% Thai and the remainder from other markets such as Europe.
Next year, SCAT plans to open 10 more new routes, such as Tel Aviv, Prague and St Petersburg, said Mr Biber.
The extended network could allow more connections to Thailand via Shymkent, such as from Tel Aviv.
He said the airline will also consider increasing Bangkok flights to four weekly for the winter of 2026.
For December, the airline operates chartered flights to Phuket, comprising two weekly flights each from Almaty and Astana, with plans to double the frequency to four weekly flights in January, said Mr Biber.