The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently celebrated the evolving tourism ties between Kazakhstan and Thailand thanks to Air Astana’s inaugural flight on the Astana-Phuket route.

TAT hosted a welcome reception at Phuket International Airport for passengers and crew who arrived aboard Air Astana’s inaugural flight from Astana, Kazakhstan, to Phuket.

TAT Europe regional executive director Suladda Sarutilavan hosted the event alongside officials and representatives from key public and private sector agencies in Phuket. 

Together, they celebrated the landing of Air Astana Flight KC163, which departed from Astana on 26 October at 21:40 local time and touched down in Phuket on 27 October at 07:45.

Kazakhstan’s national airline, Air Astana, has been in operation for over 20 years, and for this high-demand tourism season, running October 2024 through March 2025, it has scheduled 624 flights to Thailand, including regular and charter flights, to both Bangkok and Phuket.

With an estimated 103,584 seats available, this expanded service is expected to significantly support the growing interest among Kazakhstani tourists in Thailand’s premier beach destinations.

An exciting step

Air Astana’s inaugural flight to Phuket strengthens Thailand’s appeal to Kazakhstani travellers and marks a new milestone in the thriving tourism relationship between Kazakhstan and Thailand.

Sarutilavan said of this historic moment for the two countries: “Thailand’s partnership with Air Astana strengthens the bond between our countries and allows Kazakhstani tourists greater access to the world-renowned beaches and cultural treasures of Phuket and beyond. This inaugural flight signifies an exciting step forward in fostering sustainable tourism links with Kazakhstan.”