Kazakh capital launches direct flight to Bangkok ahead of winter holiday season
Kazakhstan is expanding air connectivity with Thailand with the launch of a new direct route from Astana to Bangkok this winter, Qazinform News Agency cites the Kazakh Transport Ministry.
Starting December 11, 2026, Air Astana plans to operate direct flights between Astana and Bangkok twice a week on Airbus A321LR aircraft.
The new service will increase the total number of flights between Kazakhstan and Thailand to 20 per week across four routes.
Currently, air services between the two countries operate on three routes, including Almaty–Phuket with seven flights per week, Almaty–Bangkok with nine flights per week and Shymkent–Bangkok with two flights per week.
The Transport Ministry said the new route will expand opportunities for both tourism and business travel while strengthening ties between Kazakhstan and Thailand.
Earlier, Thailand reduced the visa-free stay period for Kazakh citizens from 60 days to 30 days, effective September 15. Kazakh Foreign Ministry explained that the decision was part of Thailand's broader review of its migration policy, taking into account national security considerations and economic factors.
Earlier, the first direct flight from Chongqing to Almaty was launched, marking the first regular air route connecting the Chinese megacity with Central Asia.
