The commercial counsellor of Royal Thai embassy, Tharadol Thongruang (in black tie), poses with the Tata Nano in Guwahati on Monday. Guwahati, Jan 19 : If you are ready to dig into Thailand beyond its ubiquitous red crab curry, here’s some news.
Thailand’s ambassador to India, Krit Kraichitti, will be leading a large delegation of muay thai (a traditional martial arts form) boxers, traditional dancers, chefs and senior officials of trade, tourism and Thai Airways to the city to take part in the 17th edition of International Guwahati Trade Fair to be held at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre at Betkuchi here from January 29 to February 12.
This will be Kraichitti’s maiden visit to the Northeast after taking over as the ambassador to India and he will be present at the inaugural ceremony of the trade fair on January 29.
His visit is expected to give a big boost to the ancient ties between Thailand and the Northeast and enhance trade relations between the two countries following the Centre’s Look East Policy.
“We are participating in the IGTF for the past four years but this year we are participating in a much bigger way with as many as 40 Thai companies, who will display their products at the exclusive Thai pavilion at the fair,” the commercial counsellor of Royal Thai embassy, Tharadol Thongruang, told reporters.
“Our ambassador will discuss many issues during his visit to the region and will also explore the possibility of opening a road link between Thailand and the Northeast through Myanmar and Vietnam,” Thongruang said.
He advocated the need to improve transportation between the Northeast and his country as the region was not only physically but also culturally closer to Thailand.
Youngsters in the city interested in muay thai — and there are many — will be able to watch professional boxers from Thailand showcase their skills in exhibition matches.
“In the morning hours, these boxers will also teach the traditional form of the martial art to interested school and college students at the trade fair premises,” said Rajesh Das, the vice-president of the Industries and Trade Fair Association of Assam (ITFAA).
The association is organising the fair with the Royal Thai government and has support from the development commissioner, handicrafts, Delhi, the Union ministry of textiles, the National Small Industries Corporation and the state industries department.
One of the high points of the fair is a Tata Nano on offer as the first prize on lucky draw on entry tickets.
“We chose the Nano in consonance with the Assam government’s earnest desire to have an automobile industry in the state,” Das said. The red Nano on offer was displayed at the news meet today.
Das said beautiful Thai dance forms, that have captured the imagination of millions of people across the globe, will also debut in Assam during the trade fair.
“A specialist group of Thai dancers will be performing at the IGTF from January 29 evening. The stage has been designed in the traditional Thai style,” he said. One of the Thai dances will be the famed Fawn Thai, which is known for its intricate footwork.
Food lovers can gorge on special gastronomic delights from Thailand, which will be available at a special Thai food corner. It will serve phad phak kaeng daeng (vegetables in Thai red curry), baa mee phad phak (Thai vegetable noodles), khao phad bai krapaw kai (Thai chicken fried rice) and Thai desserts.
A quiz contest to be conducted by Barry O’Brien will be another attraction of the fair.
Das said they have requested the state transport department for special buses to ferry participants and visitors to and from the city and the fair venue.
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