India moots idea of observing 2008 as North East and Thailand year

Shillong, Jun 24 (UNI) The Union government has mooted the idea of observing 2008 as the year of North East and Thailand as visiting Thai high power delegation stressed on people-to-people contact for strong trade and commerce ties between his country and the North Eastern states.

'' The age-old bond between Thailand and North East goes back more than a thousand years, which, however, got disrupted during the two centuries of colonial rule, '' Union Minister in-charge Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Mani Shankar Aiyar at an interactive session between Thai and North East delegates at the North Eastern Council (NEC) Secretariat here today.

Floating the idea to the visiting Thailand Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet to observe the year 2008 as North East and Thailand, Mr Aiyar said the 60 years of India's Independence had also done precious little to rejuvenate the ancient ties.

'' The stage has now been reached for the North Eastern States to venture into Thailand and make their presence felt, '' the DoNER Minister said adding a strong business delegation from North Eastern states would visit Thailand for three weeks to explore the trade ties.

Thailand with its expertise and huge capital could invest in the North Eastern region for developing infrastructure and value addition to the available potential resources in the region, Mr Aiyar informed.

He asserted that India's Look East policy made no sense without improving the business relation between the Northeast India and the dynamics Southeast Asian nations.

Mr Jirapaet, here on a two-day-visit , said India's Northeast region has ''plenty of opportunities'' for Thailand to offer for investment in the fields of energy, gas, petrochemical, agro and food-based industries, and hospitality.

Mr Jirapaet, however, felt that much more could be done in the tourism sector of the region to attract more foreign investment and tourists.

He said his country was willing to offer expertise for the growth of the hospitality sector, especially in the Northeast.

Thailand attracted a whopping 13 million tourists every year in contrast to India's meagre 3 to 4 million only and India could learn from the hugely successful Thai experience, he said.

Stressing on people-to-people contact, the Thai Minister said both India and Thailand should work together and forge better co-ordination for creating conducive atmosphere in every sphere.

Twenty-nine Thai business delegation including heads of different business agencies and export councils were accompanying Mr Krirk-krai Jirapaet. The members had interactions with Indian business counterparts and discuss business/investment opportunities in Asom, Meghalaya and Tripura.

Earlier, government officials of all the eight Northeastern states made power presentations on their respective states for attracting Thai investment on tourism, power, agriculture, floriculture, horticulture and setting up of mineral base idustries.

UNI