The second edition of the North East Festival began on Friday with discussions starting from the very start, as top Thai tour operators interacted with tourism stakeholders from the North-East region. The meeting, organized at the Centara Grand Hotel, began with a presentation by the festival’s chief organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta. Moderated by Meghalaya’s Tourism Director Cyril Diengdoh. It also saw presentations on Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, and Nagaland.
Ambassador of India to Thailand Suchitra Durai termed this as a pathbreaking initiative to promote the Indo-Thai relationship. Minister of State for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh was also present along with various ministers, including Union Minister R K Ranjan, along with top officials of tourism agencies in Thailand. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio termed the festival as a “historic initiative which will change the entire dynamics of India’s Act East Policy”.
Durai hosted a special lunch session, attended by Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, and top officials from the North-East besides Bangkok-based industrialists and policymakers. The main festival has started and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit graced the festival with his presence. Song, dance, and fashion events, exhibitions of MSME products, state-specific exhibitions, North-Eastern cuisines, collaborative art shows, and business-to-business meets are on the agenda.
