Mr. Cholvijam also lavished praise on the natural beauty and eco-tourism drive of the Sikkim government and assured to bring in Thai tourism operators in the near future. While maintaining that Sikkim has tremendous scope for investment, he said that the “feeling was mutual” as far as starting a partnership with this hilly State.

Taking this opportunity, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said that the Sikkim Government is keen to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Thailand in different thrust areas like tourism, hospitality services, floriculture and Buddhist Circuit pilgrimage tourism

Stating that the State Government’s policy has been to promote sustainable programmes and schemes best suited to the landscape and bio-diversity of the State, Mr. Chamling maintained that the State’s development initiatives were in tune with the Centre’s Look East policy as well.

The Chief Minister also proposed the idea of forging economic ties with the country based on the model of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Cooperation programme in Southeast Asia. “The economic cooperation being carried out by the countries in the Mekong Sub- region could serve as a model for cooperation and integration between Sikkim and Thailand,” Mr. Chamling said.

Luring with the peaceful environs, no labour problems and a pro-active industrial policy, Mr. Chamling also invited investment and cooperation between Sikkim and Thailand in harnessing Sikkim’s hydro-electricity potential of 8000 MW. He also said doors were open for investment in hospitality business like golf courses and amusement parks and also said Sikkim is one of the few States giving licenses for casino.

He invited the Thai delegation to invest in various tourism infrastructural development programme initiated by the State Government. “We are planning to build a Sky Walk at Bhaley Dhunga in South Sikkim, which at 10,000 ft above the sea level, will be the highest Sky Walk in the world. We would be interested in Thai investments in this project,” he said.

During the North East India Trade and Investment Opportunities Week held in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2007, Sikkim, along with Meghalaya and Mizoram has signed agreements with the Horticulture Research Institute of Thailand for training and capacity-building, greenhouse technology, tissue culturing, planting material and packaging of both cymbidium and dendrobium orchids. The Sikkim visit was the last leg of the Thai business trip to the NE after visiting Guwahati, Itanagar and Tawang.