Seven private companies from Thailand today displayed their product samples ranging from body lotion, lingerie, bedding products, herbal/energy drinks, fruit juices and daily products before potential and possible entrepreneurs from the state at the Hotel Classic Grande, Chingmeirong.
The product display was made during the Manipur-Thailand business summit and business matching in integration of Manipur into the Global Value Chain through South East Asian countries organised by the Manipur Chamber of Commerce & Industry in association with Office of the Commercial Affairs (OCA) Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi. The programme was sponsored by Directorate of Tourism, Government of Manipur.
Road connectivity from Manipur to Thailand via Myanmar if once complete then trade and commerce between these countries with Manipur will grow by many folds, said state chief secretary O Nabakishore Singh as chief guest of the programme.
He said that efforts are on in full speed to complete this connectivity project including land acquisition for the said project with support from Asian Development Bank.
The current Imphal-Moreh route will be upgraded as an Asian Highway and another alternative route from Wangjing to Heirok to Machi and connecting Khudengthabi will also soon be initiated for broader bandwidth of connectivity with the neighbouring country of Myanmar, he added.
The chief secretary mentioned that to improve the 120 Km road stretch between Kalewa to Yaji of Myanmar, the National Highway Authority of India has intimated to state concerned to incorporate an executive engineer from the state.
He said that if this road connectivity is completed then trade and commerce relations with Myanmar and Thailand will bloom.
He lauded the MCCI for conducting such programme which aims to fill the gap of state’s international trade that will put the state economy to a higher level of growth.
With the improvement of road connectivity, trade relation will become closer, said minister counselor (commercial), Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy Tharadol Thongruang.
He said that people to people connectivity is also very important to boost overall democratic relationship among the countries.
The regular visits to the state of Manipur especially during Sangai Festival have made the Thai people quite acquainted with the state, he said adding that he is looking forward to have good trade and commerce tie with the state.
Vice president MCCI Basudev Singh, Managing Director Classic Group of Hotels Th Dhabali, consultant to Government of Manipur RK Nimai Singh, Economic Head of Department Manipur University Prof Ch Priyoranjan was also present on the dais.
Source: Imphal Free Press
