Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 11 2009:
The counsellor of Commercial Office, Royal Thai Embassy has stressed on the need for introducing a flight service between Imphal and Bangkok for bringing together the South East Asian countries closer and to improve the relation.
Talking to mediapersons today, counsellor Tharadol Thangruang, who is currently at Imphal participating in the ongoing Manipur Tourism Festival at the head of a team from Thailand, said there is no reason to turn down the proposal of introducing flight service between Imphal and Bangkok from the side of Thailand Government.
Just a little pressure from the Government of India is all that would be required.
Appreciating Manipur has a place with great potential for development of tourism, Tharadol observed that Manipur has also a rich heritage of art and culture which should be preserved as well as promoted.
Promotion of tourism and art & culture is also essential for bringing together the South East Asian countries closer to Northeast India which has similarities in many aspects.
In this regard, Imphal could be developed as an important centre of trade and commerce as well, he added.
In the last edition of the festival, only one food stall and one jewellery store from Thailand have participated.
But this time, around 17 stalls from Thailand including that of jewellery, footwear, ladies bag, ladies garment and other decorative items are participating in the festival.
It is said that all stall owners as well as those working in these stalls are coming to Manipur for the first time.
Yet, they said, they are comfortable in their new surrounding because of close affinity in look as well as in food habits of the people here.
They also expressed hope that the festival this year would be most successful of all the festivals held in the past.