Imphal, December 04, 2008: A diplomat from Royal Thailand Embassy in India expressed his desire to open a Thai information centre in north east India to have a better understanding and relationship between the people living across the boundaries.

The Thai diplomat also want to organise an idea exchange programme between the Thai and craftsmen from this region particularly from Manipur, besides organizing trade fairs as well.

Royal Thailand Embassy's Counsellor (Commercial) Tharadol Thongruang, shared this observation during a brief interaction with the media persons at the Hotel Imphal on Thursday morning.

"Discussion is on now as we like to have a Thai information centre here" Counsellor Tharadol said.

However he is not ready to give any tentative time frame for it.

When asked, the visiting Thai diplomat informed that Thai people would like to buy handicraft and woodcraft products of the region.

But he suggested to develop the "finishing" of the products.

"There are also other items which we like to do trade with your region" Tharadol felt.

The Thai diplomat was in a maiden tour here since the three days to study feasibility of the trade with their country,besides assessing the facilities available for the Indo-Thai trading activities through Myanmar.

During his stay here,he also visited the border town Moreh,India's gateway to south asian country and also the major Indo-Myanmar border trade centre to meet the traders communities settling there wherein the visiting diplomat also witnessed the business potential and further scope of extending technologies to the needy ones.

Vice-President of North East Federation on International Trade (NEFIT) Bijoy Phangcho who is accompanying the diplomat along with state representatives participating in the interaction said, "Manipur become a focal point relating to trade with South Asian countries with Myanmar as it's corridor".

"So we want a good road and communication between these countries and the region for trade activities to improve our socio-economy" Bijoy added.

Presently there are about 82 trade items under Indo-Thai trade package while Indo-Myanmar border trade has also risen to 40 from 22 items after the Indian commerce minister Jairam Ramesh's last Mandalay visit.

India is scheduled to sign a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN countries on December 17 this year but due to the volatile situation in Thailand,it has been postponed.

It will be signed once the situation improves, the leader of the border trade promoter in NE region informed.

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