On 22 November 2022, Miss Acharapan Yavaprapas, Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata participated as speaker in the valedictory session of the Indo-Pacific Conclave co-organised by Asian Confluence, a policy think-tank based in Shillong, State of Maghalaya, and the Consulate-General of the United States in Kolkata at Raajkutir, Kolkata. The Conclave was attended by Consuls-General of Australia, Japan, the United States and Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh as well as former high-ranking Indian diplomats, academicians from various disciplinaries and students. The Conclave was inaugurated by video address from Ambassador Harsh V. Shringla, Chief Coordinator for India’s G-20 Presidency and former Foreign Secretary.

 

Consul-General shared her view on the current landscape of regional cooperation and suggestions on way forward. She highlighted positive developments that should be capitalised on; namely, the adoption of Bangkok Goals on Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy by Leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the elevation of ASEAN-India relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and the commencement of India’s G-20 Presidency. She also outlined Thailand’s priorities under its chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), in particular on connectivity through the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project, and on sustainable developments by incorporating the BCG Economy Model as a guiding concept.

 

The Conclave aimed to leverage culture as a tool to trigger policy discussions on Indo-Pacific cooperation in 3 sub-themes; namely, trade and connectivity, climate and ecology, and migration and peace-building. Apart from academic activities, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) also brought numerous artists and performers from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to collaborate with one another in creating seamless cross-cultural performances throughout the Conclave.

 

Previously, Thailand has collaborated with the think-tank ‘Asian Confluence’ in several activities such as an entrepreneur exchange program ‘Brahmaputra meets Chao Phraya’ organised by the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi on 5-9 September 2022 to bring young entrepreneurs from India’s Northeastern Region to visit Thailand, and the follow-up visit to Asian Confluence by Ms. Pattarat Hongthong, Ambassador of Thailand to India accompanied by Thai business delegation to explore economic potential of the Northeastern Region on 21 September 2022.