Thailand looks forward to tourists flow from NE

BANGKOK, May 9 ? India and Thailand are looking at widening the trade basket between the two countries, and boosting tourism between Thailand and the North East of India, Indian Ambassador here Leela K Ponnappa said, reports PTI. With Thailand?s contribution being over a billion US dollars, ?we are both each others partners and competitors,? she told visiting journalists from North East and Bihar. The economic crash in 1997 also made Thailand to take a relook at its economic policy of looking westward. Instead it rediscovered India as a potential partner, she said. Ponnappa said that there was a tremendous potential for growth of tourism between Thailand and the North East region with the opening of the new Air India route between here and Guwahati. She said Air India opening the entire region to Thailand through Guwahati was a great boost to the tourism sector. She identified the factors contributing to the growth of tourism as Thais shared common linkages with India through ancient trade, culture, the Ramayana, Buddhism, textiles, language and other mutual areas of interest. Stating deliberate efforts were made by both India and Thailand to build it relations on common areas of interest, Ponnappa said both the nations were looking at widening the trade basket with Thailand?s contribution being over a billion US dollars. Stating Thailand was world?s largest fish exporter, the Ambassador said, India was also working on a collaboration with the country in this area. Joint ventures were also worked out in science and technology, traditional medicines and in the field of culture. Wanting to broadbase the Indo-Thai relationship with 26 joint ventures already in place, the Thai foreign Minister had visited India twice in one year demonstrating the country?s interest in the country, Ponnappa said. India?s exports to Thailand included among other, diamonds, precious stones, drugs and pharmaceuticals and agro chemicals. To a query, she agreed that there was good potential for exports of Indian tea to Thailand. Pointing out that Thailand took tourism very seriously, she said, ?there is lot for us to learn from Thailand on tourism like providing infrastructure and shopping facilities. To a question that there was no India Government centre for providing information on the country to attract potential visitors, Ponnappa said, she was pushing strongly for a Government of India tourism department representative here.