During 18–22 May 2026, Ms. Siriporn Tantipanyathep, Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata, together with the Director of the Thai Trade Center in Chennai, visited Port Blair, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to further strengthen Thailand–Andaman and Nicobar Islands cooperation and advance shared growth as regional partners in the Bay of Bengal.

The visit reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to transforming geographical proximity into concrete economic opportunities through stronger maritime, air, trade, and tourism connectivity between Thailand and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

During the visit, the delegation held productive discussions with senior officials, including Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi, Lieutenant Governor; Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Chief Secretary; and Mr. G. Edison, Chief Port Administrator, as well as leading business representatives from the Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Nicobar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to explore practical pathways for expanding bilateral economic cooperation.

Consul-General Siriporn highlighted the strong complementary strengths between Thailand and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Enhanced maritime and air connectivity between Port Blair–Ranong and Port Blair–Phuket could unlock significant opportunities in trade, investment, logistics, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, generating tangible mutual benefits for both sides.

The Consul-General also underscored the strategic importance of Ranong Port, which the Royal Thai Government is accelerating to develop into a deep-sea port and a key economic gateway connecting Thailand with the Bay of Bengal and the BIMSTEC region. Located only 400–500 kilometers from Ranong, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are geographically closer to Thailand than to mainland India, positioning the islands as a promising economic bridge between Southeast Asia and South Asia.

During the visit, the delegation also explored key local industries and businesses, including seafood processing, ferry services, hospitality, and retail sectors. Discussions with local businesses revealed growing demand for Thai products and strong interest in expanding trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

Tourism in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continues to expand rapidly, welcoming more than 710,000 visitors in 2024, while Port Blair International Airport has increased its passenger handling capacity to 5 million annually — creating significant opportunities for future connectivity and cooperation with Thailand.

The visit further built upon existing frameworks of cooperation, including the Phuket–Port Blair Sister City Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding between the Phuket Chamber of Commerce and the Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, reinforcing the shared commitment of both sides to a practical, forward-looking, and mutually beneficial partnership.