Sihasak discussed with Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister the signing of the 2027-2028 Roadmap, aiming to use Kazakhstan as a gateway to Central Asia to attract tourists to Thailand, after nearly 200,000 tourists traveled to Thailand from Kazakhstan.
On 25 June 2026 at 09:30 local time in Kazakhstan, Mr. Sihasak Puangketkaew, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Mr. Yermek Kosherbayev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, upon invitation to strengthen cooperation between Thailand and Kazakhstan. After their talks, they jointly signed the action plan for 2027 and 2028 as a Roadmap to implement cooperation in key areas.
Mr. Sihasak emphasized the strong roles of both countries on the global and regional stages, especially in Central Asia and multilateral forums. Cooperation is pursued through frameworks such as CICA, BRICS, and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). Thailand will chair ASEAN in 2028 and hopes Kazakhstan will become a closer ASEAN partner. Thailand is also interested in joining the C5+1 group (or possibly expanding to C6/C7) at the regional level.
Regarding economic and trade cooperation, both countries have set an ambitious target to raise bilateral trade value to 1 billion USD within the next five years, building on current growth of 11%.
On security, Thailand aims to contribute to strengthening Kazakhstan's food security, while Kazakhstan can support Thailand's energy security. Both countries emphasize development in hospitality and medical tourism sectors, which offer opportunities for joint collaboration.
Mr. Sihasak added that Thailand wants to use Kazakhstan as a gateway to Central Asia and has begun negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), requesting Kazakhstan's support. Currently, nearly 200,000 tourists from Kazakhstan visit Thailand annually, with plans to increase this number. Achieving this requires enhancing connectivity by increasing flights, airlines, and logistics links between the two countries.
Mr. Yermek said Thailand is an important gateway to the ASEAN market, while Thailand can use Kazakhstan as a channel to access Central Asia and the Eurasian Economic Union. He invited Thai investors to invest in export-oriented and competitive industries in Kazakhstan. They also discussed medical tourism, noting Thailand's excellence in healthcare systems, which offers opportunities for mutual expertise exchange.
