The Thai government has decided to waive visa requirements for tourists from China and Kazakhstan. The move is an effort to help the tourism industry recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The requirements will be waived from September 25 to February 29, 2024. Visitors from those countries will be allowed to enter without a visa and stay for up to 30 days. About 11 million Chinese people traveled to Thailand in 2019. They accounted for nearly 30 percent of the nation's foreign guests. But only 1.8 million Chinese visitors had been welcomed by July of this year. They made up about 10 percent of the country's foreign tourists.

New Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says Thailand's economy is one of his primary concerns. He has vowed to create policies that will stimulate economic growth. He has also promised to support the tourism industry.