INDIA – MYANMAR – THAILAND FRIENDSHIP CAR RALLY
(A Tri-Nation car expedition for Mapping Connectivity, Promotion of Trade & Investment and re- establish Cultural & Historical Linkages)
With a rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes of great natural beauty, Arunachal Pradesh- truly a land of dazzling variety has been chosen to be the originating place from India for the Tri-Nation India-Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Car Expedition 2016.
This is the first ever Tri-Nation (India-Myanmar-Thailand) friendship car rally 2016 hold for mapping connectivity, promotion of trade & investment and re-establish cultural & historical linkages. The Car Rally was ceremoniously flagged-off by Chief Minister Kalikho Pul in a small yet impressive function at Banquet Hall Itanagar on May 22.
A fleet of 7 cars out of total 12 cars were flagged-off from Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh to Bangkok in Thailand that will cover and explore a distance of 7000 kms over a period of 19 days from May 22 to June 9 traversing through some of the important cities of Yangon, Mandalay in Myanmar and Chiang Mai, Bangkok in Thailand. Rest of the cars in the rally will join the fleet in Karbi Anglong (Assam), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Imphal (Manipur). The travel route of the fleet originating from Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) will travel through Dimapur (Nagaland) - Kohima (Nagaland) - Imphal (Manipur) - Kalemiyo (Myanmar) - Mandalay (Myanmar) - Taunggi (Myanmar) - Keng Tung (Myanmar) - Chiang Mai (Thailand) – Phitsanulok (Thailand) and will finally culminate at Bangkok (Thailand). Along with the car rally, business marker events will also be organized in countries en-route to connect with the industry and the common man.
The Department of Tourism and Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operators Association (APTOA) are the two teams from Arunachal Pradesh participating in the tri-nation car rally. The rally is being led by officers from Department of Tourism that includes Karma Leki Director Tourism, Tsering Norbu, Hilot Mugli and Takom Kena and the team from APTOA includes Duyu Tamo, General Secretary APTOA, Tadar Robin and Pem Tsering both members of APTOA. Car Rally & Racing Driver, Ravi Agarwal President of Assam Speed & Adventure Club is the race official for the India-Myanmar-Thailand friendship car rally 2016.
Global analysts have predicted that more co-operations amongst India, China and Southeast Asian nations will bring about a rapid economic growth affecting positive changes in the standard of living of the people of these nations. If such a development takes place, together they will be able to place themselves as a formidable economic block. This requires a sincere regional cooperation among these nations in all aspects like policy, economic and cultural development. The key objective of regional co-operation in trade is to achieve more rapid growth through improvement in network and connectivity through road and transport communication and logistic infrastructure. Regional co-operation amongst these geographically contiguous countries is expected to facilitate trade relation by fruitfully mobilizing local resources and fully utilizing them. However, the moot issue is to travel smooth and safe, trouble-free transport of goods, hassle free visa and travel documents and other facilities.
With a view to addressing these issues, North East Federation on International Trade (NEFIT), a regional trade body of Exporters and Importers of NE India with its registered head office at Shillong in Meghalaya established on February 07, 2002 is organizing the 19 days Tri-Nation Car Rally in association with Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries (UMFCCI) of Myanmar, Federation of Thai industries Bangkok Thailand with support and cooperation of Department of Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
The “India – Myanmar – Thailand Friendship Car Rally” expedition tour on the Asian Highway No. 1 & 2 (AH-1 & AH-2) and the Tri-lateral Highways that connect Guwahati in North East India to Bangkok in Thailand through Myanmar is a kind of confidence building measure that will open up a new dimension of overland trading and dispel many doubts of prospective traders. The follow-up action of the Look East policy of the Government of India is creating a bright economic prospect of overland trade of commodities of North East India with South East Asian countries through the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and Asian Highway’s 1 & 2 since the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which has already come into effect from 1st January, 2016, and this has made the ASEAN boundaries literally adjacent to India. NEFIT had also earlier successfully organised the 1st Indo-Myanmar Friendship car rally during March 10 – 22, 2012 from Guwahati to Yangon in Myanmar making a round trip of about 5000kms in which about 68 participants from all walks of life and 17 nos. of vehicle participated.
This is also a serious attempt to explore road transport by ferrying businessmen, traders, economists and government officials of the participating countries to practical study of physical connectivity by road, transport and transit facilities, border management, soft infrastructures, land customs stations, banking facilities, border management, immigration checkpoints and other facilities in view of the emergence of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) since 1st of January, 2016. Besides, the expedition and the visit is expected to provide participants with opportunities for networking, exploring new business prospects and establishing specific business relationships with Myanmar and Thai companies.
India’s Look East policy is the prime reason of organizing the India - Myanmar – Thailand Friendship Car Rally as this will be able to break the mental and psychological barrier towards North East India and to make it a part of International trade by land connectivity via Indo-Myanmar Corridor linking South East Asia and East Asia with the West Asia. Besides, the car rally would also highlights the year long celebrations as it coincides with 25 years of the India –ASEAN relationship.
Speaking to the media person, Minister Counselor Royal Thai Embassy New Delhi, Tharadol Thongruang expressed hope that the event could foster friendship, strategic partnerships and bilateral relationship and bridge the gap of trades policy and overland trading, develop tourism potentiality and enhance the scope of economic prosperity of these countries. Overwhelm by the hospitality of the State, Tharadol said that it is like to be at home when he is in Arunachal and informed that his people from Thailand will love to visit Arunachal Pradesh as this place is gifted with nature’s bounty unlike Thailand which had to develop artificial attractions and people of Thailand loves mountain, nature and snow.
General Secretary NEFIT, Mrinal Hatkhowa informed that the car rally is organize moving along with the India’s Look East Policy and aims to connect the state of Arunachal Pradesh and other NE states with ASEAN neighbours for showcasing the unique tourism potential, trade & business promotion and exploration expedition. It will be our endevour to break the mental and psychological barrier towards North East India and to make it a part of International trade by land connectivity via Indo-Myanmar Corridor linking South East Asia and East Asia with the West Asia, he added.
The flagged-off ceremony was also attended by Secretary Tourism & IPR etc Joram Beda, Secretary Art & Culture etc Dani Sulu, Tharadol Thongruang Minister Counselor Royal Thai Embassy New Delhi, Chanyuth Sawetsuwan Assistant Director Tourism Authority of Thailand New Delhi, Shangreiso Shimray Secretary Tourism Authority of Thailand New Delhi, Director Tourism Karma Leki, Ravi Agarwal Racing driver & Car Rally Official, Mrinal Hatkhowa General Secretary North East Federation on International Trade (NEFIT), participants of the car rally and officers from Department of Tourism.
The broad objectives of the Tri-Nation Car Rally are:
• To promote direct physical connectivity by road, rail and air between North East India, Myanmar and Thailand for more Trans border Trade and investments.
• To promote and harness true Trade potential of India through the North East with ASEAN countries and to explore new market for produce and products of India.
• To promote More bilateral relations in the spirit of friendship and understanding between India, Myanmar and Thailand
• To promote Northeast India, Myanmar and Thailand as the land corridor and gateway to Southeast Asia and the Far East.
• To re-establish and strengthen the age-old historical linkages, culture and linguistic affinities of the people of the regions
• To promote the ‘Look East’ policy of the Government of India in the perspective of linking NE India with Southeast Asian countries
• To Promote opening of more Border Trade points between North east India, Myanmar and Thailand.
• To Promote the advantages of setting up Industrial ventures in the North East with regard to its unique geo-political location and incentives offered by various state governments of North East India.
• To Promote North East India as a clean, green and an eco-friendly tourist destination for high-end as well as budget travellers, and
• To promote North East India, Myanmar and Thailand as Adventure Sports destinations.
Itinerary – Cum – Schedule
• Map showing the tentative car rally routes originating from Itanagar in India to Bangkok in Thailand via Myanmar and back (round trip)
• Place of Origin: Itanagar (India)
• Place of Final Destination: Bangkok (Thailand) and return, ending in Guwahati (India)
• Proposed dates: From May 22 – 09 June, 2016
• Approximate distance to cover: 7000 Kms round trip
• Number of Days/Nights : 19 days & nights
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