Tourisme Laos

tourisme laos="tourisme laos"

Thaïlande, Laos et Cambodge - "L'art de la compassion"


tourisme laos

Laos Trekking

laos trekking="laos trekking"

Sapa trekking and Bac Ha Market

SAPA - BAC HA

Pick you up at 21: 00 from your Hotel, transfer to railway station to take the night train at 22:00 to go to Sapa.

Day1:
* In the morning: Arrive Lao Cai Railway Station at 6:30 am, transfer by minibus to Sapa around 9:00: check in Hotel and you will have free time for the rest of the morning.
* In the Afternoon: Trekking to Cat Cat visit Black H’mong village and Waterfall (7kms) and then go back the hotel.

Day 2: After breakfast, leave Sapa for Bac Ha market by van (110 kms) this is a big market filled with many different hill-tribe groups of people.Here, you have chance to enjoy the food and special wines made from rice, cassavas, corn, and different sorts of fruits such as plumps apples, peaches… After visiting market we will go to visit the H’mong King’s house (King Hoang A Tuong) built by the French colonists and Chinese in 1920. Have lunch in Bac Ha town. Before taking a bus to Lao Cai railway station for night train to go back to Ha Noi we are going to visit Ban Pho village and take pictures with ethnic people. Tour ends at 6:00 Am on the next day at Hanoi railway station.

Included:  Train tickets, bus tickets, 1 night accommodation, meals, tickets and  tour guide.
Notes: It’s advised to take good walking shoes, raincoat, jackets, torch and insect repellent.

Hailong trading and tourism joint stock company
Add: 48 Bat Su str, Hoan Kiem dist, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +844 3923 3686/ 687 *Fax: +844 3923 3689
Email: info@hailongtravel.com.vn/ hailongtravel@gmail.com
Website: http://www.hailongtravel.com.vn

About the Author

The most attractive destination in the north of Vietnam

"Norther Laos Trek" Briancrooke's photos around Luang Prabang, Lao Peoples Dem Rep (travel pics)


laos trekking
laos trekking
laos trekking

Laos Ethnic Groups

laos ethnic groups="laos ethnic groups"

Minorities in China--First Six Groups

If you want to explore the Minority Discovery, China is a good place. China is a multi-nationalities nation. Besides Han, there are 55 ethinic groups live together harmoniously in this big landmass. Take a ethnic group tours to enjoy the colorful culture of Chinese minority.

1. Hui Minority

Hui ethnic group is China's most widely distributed ethnic minority, with a sizeable population of 9.8 million. Most of them inhabit in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwestern China, and there are many concentrated Hui communities in Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Hebei, Henan, Yunnan and Shandong Provinces. Chinese is the shared language of Hui people. However, they also retain some words of Arabic and Farsi in daily interaction and religious activities.

2. Bai Minority

People of the Bai Ethnic Minority mainly live in Dali, Lijiang, Bijiang, Baoshan, Nanhua, Yuanjiang, Kunming, and Anning of Yunnan Province, Bijie of Guizhou Province, Liangshan of Sichuan Province, and Sanzhi of Hunan Province. The population of the Bai nationality is 185,800. Today's Bai are descendants of the ancient Ji. During the pre-Qin period (about 2,200 years ago), the Ji inhabited the drainage area of the Huangshui River.

3. Zhuang Minority

Zhuang ethnic group has the largest population (almost 18 million) among all the 55 ethnic groups in China. Most of them inhabit in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province. In Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces of South China, there is also some distribution of Zhuang People. The Zhuang ethnic group has its own language, which is generally divided into northern and southern dialects.

 

4. Tibetan Minority

With a population of more than 5 million, Tibetan nationality mainly live in Tibet Autonomous Region in southeast China, and neighboring provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan. Tibetan people have their own spoken and written language. Tibetan language belongs to Cambodian branch, Sino-Tibetan language system. Tibetan areas are rich in natural resources, and Tibetan people mainly live on farming and stock raising.

5. Naxi Minority

With a rough population of 320,000, the ethnic group of Nakhi, or Naxi mainly inhabit in Yunnan Province in southern China. The largest single concentration of Naxi people in Yunnan Province live in Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County, while smaller enclaves of Naxi live scattered about in other counties of Yunnan Province. In neighboring Sichuan Province, Naxi enclaves can be found in Muli, Yanbia and Yanyuan Counties. Lastly, a small Naxi enclave is located in Mangkang County, Tibet Autonomous Region.

6. Dai Minority

The Dai (alternatively, Tai) are one of the 56 official ethnic minorities in China, whose ethnic majority are of course the Han Chinese. The Dai Ethnic Group comprises several smaller ethnic groups living mainly in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, both located in the southern part of Yunnan Province, though smaller pockets of Dai live in and around the Yunnan cities of Xinping and Yuanjiang, as well as in other autonomous counties in Yunnan Province. In all there are roughly 1.2 million Dai living in China. However, the Dai of China belong to a larger family of Dai/ Tai ethnic groups that also exist in neighboring Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Recommended China Minority Discovery Tours

 

About the Author

Top China Travel Destinations are Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, Yangtze River Cruise and Tibet.

Dance Lao Huam Pao (Lao Ethnic Groups Unity) @ BBG bldg in Washington DC


laos ethnic groups

Tour Operators In Laos

tour operators in laos="tour operators in laos"

Vietnam's Biggest Luxury Travel Operator Aims to Attract Luxury German Travelers

Vietnam welcomes annually 100.000 German tourists.The Vietnam tourism sector needs qualified workers and provides niche tourism products for this market according to tourism experts especially in certain keymarket like Germany.

"We expect good German traffic to Vietnam in 2011. Germany is among the top three from Europe, aided by a direct flight between Vietnam and Germany. There are activities in 2011 in both Vietnam and Germany in the frame of Vietnam Year in Germany and Germany Year in Vietnam. Vietnam is better known as a backpacker destination for German travelers, efforts are being made to promote Vietnam as a luxury destination and we attract upscale German-speaking travelers with niche tourism products. Our German speaking team is very competent to serve high end travelers," said Pham Ha, Founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Company.

Luxury Travel, Vietnam's leading bespoke travel experience company, is highly experienced in providing special services and unique tourism products to luxury global travelers since 2004. Luxury Travel announced the addition of the native speaking german nationality of Jens Pickhan as its Senior Sales and Marketing Executive at its Hanoi Head Office.

Jens will be responsible for the development of German Department, oversea sales and marketing activities, sales and customer care with Luxury Travel's business partners in German speaking countries, seeking new business opportunities and coordinating the company's national marketing program.

"My study, experiences, passion, curiosity bring me to this beautiful country. I am eager to experience Vietnam and to work in Hanoi, a fascinating city which is rich in culture, and culinary. The Vietnamese are very friendly, open-minded and cordially. I am glad to join Luxury Travel Team in Hanoi and we make our best efforts in German Department to promote our special products and provide top notch services for our discerning travelers," said Jens Pickhan, a new sales and marketing executive at Luxury Travel Company.

"Jens is committed to the idea of luxury travel concept and market Vietnam as a luxe destination and promote our niche tourism products not only in Vietnam but also others Southeast Asia countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand," said Ha. Last year, the company served 10,000 satisfied around the world. Luxury Travel specializes in bespoke travel experiences for VIPs, small fits group led by expert tour guides to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand. All company operations are run by experienced, creative managers and guides. Headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam, the company maintains management offices in Indochina, Myanmar, Thailand and a representative office in France, in the U.S.

Luxury Travel takes part in many trades show in Europe and in the coming ITB Berlin, German. The company aims to increase the German tourist arrival in 2011 up to 30% in comparation to the last year. In 2012, Luxury Travel is targeting VND30 billions revenues for this market segment, and the revenue growth will stay at the two-digit level over the next five years and becomes a leading tour operator in Vietnam.

For more information in German, visit www.luxurytravelvietnam.com

Source:
http://www.1888pressrelease.com/vietnam-s-biggest-luxury-travel-operator-aims-to-attract-lux-pr-280496.html

About the Author

http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com/

Rice terrace fields in Lao Chai


tour operators in laos
tour operators in laos
tour operators in laos

Laos Education System

laos education system="laos education system"

Luxury Travel Vietnam Announces Bespoke Tours to Indochina Within 12 Hours

Luxury Travel Co., Ltd. is a 100% fully registered and privately-owned Vietnamese company. It was founded by luxury travel specialists since the 1990s when Vietnam had just opened its doors to worldwide tourism. The company to launch bespoke and completely personalized tours to Indochina for luxury guests with 12 hours.

Vietnam is a tropical paradise of charming people, heavenly beaches, brilliant green rice paddies and lush emerald rainforests.

Like the rest of Indochina (including Laos and Cambodia), Vietnam is a former French colony and has been independent since 1954. It still retains a strong French cultural influence, with wide boulevards, magnificent Belle Époque architecture, fresh baguettes sold on every corner, and good espresso and fine Bordeaux widely available.

Unlike Laos and Cambodia, where the people have more in common with India, the Vietnamese are much closer culturally to China, with Confucian ethics valuing age, education and hard work.

The Vietnam War has long since been forgotten, and the people are exceedingly warm and hospitable in this nominally communist country which is an absolute delight to visit.

Luxury Travel Vietnam immerses guest in Vietnamese culture by providing insider access to private events and extraordinary people.

Luxury Travel's journeys introduce upscale travelers to a multi-faceted selection of remarkable people, from government leaders and top businessmen to remote villagers and fishermen.

Travelers get their interactions with these people will be stimulating, edifying and enlightening, and travelers will have a well-rounded and profound learning experience that they will value forever.

All travel is bespoke and completely personalized for luxury guests. Luxury Travel commits to create the perfect luxury experience for their own highly discerning needs and desires.

This Vietnam's first luxury tour company and full travel service agency is experienced in providing special services and unique tourism products to luxury global travelers.

The company's depth of experience and large infrastructure enable it to create unique itineraries with the operational confidence to fulfill client expectations. Among Luxury Travel's clients are ambassadors, senators, ministers, Deputy Prime Minister.

Luxury Travel (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) has won numerous travel awards. Luxury Travel is headquartered in Hanoi and has offices around Vietnam and management offices in all over South East Asia.

About the Author

Award Winning Travel Advisors in Asia

Soviet Education


laos education system

Laos Travels

laos travels_2="laos travels"

Earth Report - Gambling on Laos


laos travels

Laos Travel Information

laos travel information_2="laos travel information"

Sapa Travel Information

Sapa overview
Located in Vietnam's remote north west mountains, Sapa is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and also its rich cultural diversity. Sapa is an incredibly picturesque village that lies on the Hoang Lien Son mountain range near the Chinese border in northwestern Vietnam, known as "the Tonkinese Alps". Sapa and its surrounding region is host to many hill tribes, as well as rice terraces, lush vegetation, and Fansipan, the highest peak in Vietnam. However, as a result of a recent surge in popularity Sapa has rapidly become a tourist hot-spot where money is the drug of choice. Don't be put off by the rush, your explorations of the surrounding countryside will be worth the trouble.

Trains to Sapa
From Hanoi it is a 9-hour train journey to Sapa. Vietnam Rail operates some of the cars, but other cars in the train are operated by private companies (Tulico, Ratraco, Victoria Hotels, and others). Some of these cars are significantly nicer than the standard cars. You may need to arrange with a travel agency to get tickets on these tourist cars. Anywhere in the main village of Sapa can be reached on foot, and the town is small enough that you're not likely to get lost. A basic map will be good enough for most travellers.

Ethnic minority villages and sights
* Sapa is a charming mountain town, surrounded by picturesque mountains and rice terraces. Great views of the area can be had (weather permitting) from the nearby hills. One of these has been built up into a tourist attraction ("Ham Rong Resort") with various gardens (orchid, European), ethnic minority dance performance areas, viewpoints, and restaurants. It's a short walk south from the central square and then up some stairs. Entrance is 30,000 dong. While walking in the mountains you will encounter many hill tribes such as the Red Zao tribe.
* Many ethnic minorities, such as the Hmong and the Dao, live in and around Sapa. Many older women in particular make ethnic-style clothes, blankets, etc. to sell to tourists. Striking up a conversation with them can be very rewarding. Tourists intending to trek to the various villages through the paddy fields should be prepared with good trekking shoes or rubber boots, a walking stick and extra clothing kept in a waterproof bag. Depending on the season, the rice fields, which are build in terraces, can be very muddy and slippery. If one does not wear shoes which enables a good grip in mud, one is likely to keep slipping and falling on one's butt and perhaps slide down the slopes.

* For the less adventurous, some of the villages, such as Lao Chai Village, is accessible via jeep, motorcycle and van. Or walking to the ethnic village of Cat Cat just a few kilometers' walk from Sapa. You're not likely to get lost - just walk down the road out of Sapa, which should be marked on maps, and after a while you'll find a path which descends the hill to your left. This path runs through the village before climbing another hill back to the road. This walk provides a good chance to observe Vietnamese farming and farm animals, and there are excellent views. The walk back up can be difficult (it is steep in parts) but once you get back onto the road there are plenty of enterprising locals ready to take you back to Sapa on motorbikes. Entrance to the villages is currently 15,000 VND.

Shopping in Sapa:
* It is possible to change money, traveler cheques and get cash advance on credit cards at the bigger Hotels in Sapa. Furthermore, there are ATMs on the main street but they only accept VISA and not Mastercard or Maestro. So you might be better off with stocking up on cash before heading to Sapa. The nearest ATM accepting all major cards is in Lao Cai.
* The usual endless supply of nearly identical tourist trinkets is available at every turn. It appears that the minority women sell their trinkets at considerable mark-up over what the ethnic Vietnamese charge in the market, with little room for negotiation. Prices are highly elastic; it pays to shop around for the right pair of reproduction Montagnard earrings.
* The various markets sell clothes, blankets, etc. with colorful designs traditional to the various ethnic minorities in the town. Take note that the dye used to give a blue color stains the fingers (and not only the fingers) - which is why many of the women who make them have darkened fingertips. When you wash these clothes the colour will flow off.
* Marijuana and opium are sold commonly, yet discreetly, by minority men and women on the streets of Sapa. If you decide to indulge, understand that the Vietnamese legal system has little respect for the rights of the accused.

About the Author

For typical itineraries to Sapa, visit our site at: http://vietnamholidaynow.com/english/vietnam/tour/Hanoi-tour-and-excursion/238.html or contact our Sales team tel: +84-43-6339577/ email: info@vietnamholidaynow.com

IFLYtheworld.com Vientiane


laos travel information

Laos Tourist

laos tourist_2="laos tourist"
What must all be figured in planning a trip from Omaha Nebraska to Los Angeles, California?

Just getting a head start on planning a trip from Omaha, Nebraska to Laos Angeles, California. I NEED to talk to California people. I know nobody there! The trip will be for two weeks and it'll be my girlfriend and me, both adults, both with money, but we need prices for plane tickets, lodging, we're not tourists, we just want to scope out a city in California for a possible move. Anything worthwhile that I should know, please answer, comment, give advice. Thanks so much.

You can find prices for airline tickets and lodgings by doing web searches. I've traveled to many places and was always able to find hotel and airline information, even making my reservations online.

Try http://www.expedia.com/

also, the website of the airline(s) that go to Los Angeles from the city you'll be flying from. I do this because they are reliable and sometimes have the best deals.

And the websites for some of the chain motels like Best Western, Holiday Inn, Super 8, and Motel 6.

Laos Tourist


laos tourist
laos tourist
laos tourist

Cheap Hotels In Laos

cheap hotels in laos="cheap hotels in laos"

Dating in Asia, On the Cheap!

 

Therefore you've got made the choice that you'd prefer to explore Asia and you set as a goal that you'd like to induce an Asian Woman as a girlfriend  whereas you are at it. You have seen guys that have Asian girlfriends and wives and maybe you've got heard the stories of the great times that you'll have in  Asia, however you do not have a massive budget.

 

Where to start out your search? I'd suggest that you're taking a examine what the prices are that are related to the different countries that you would  like to explore. Places like Japan and Korea definitely have lots of eligible women that will be inquisitive about meeting a western man, but the prices of  even a very short vacation will be crazy. In Tokyo the most cost effective guesthouses and even those capsule hotels will run you simple $40 a night.  Currently in places like Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos you'll be able to easily still realize guesthouses below $10 that are comfortable.

 

Once housing, the subsequent factor that you'll most likely examine is food. A sensible guess is that if the hotels and budget accommodations are  expensive, the folks that live there are paying a honest bit for food yet, because the 2 are closely connected, because the folks that own the hotels will  need a place to remain and the rates of vacation accommodations are a apartment value divided by thirty with a markup for the value added services like the  maid, and changing the sheets and towels, and the additional administration for rent assortment, and paperwork, and you wish to own staff on hand, thus now  you recognize why hotels price thus much you'll see where they are related.

 

The subsequent things that you may examine are transportation price there and the value of moving around and communications. In countries like Cambodia  you will most likely spend [*fr1] as a lot of or additional to get there, as you'll pay living there for a month. I had a pad in Phnom Penh for 2 months that  was a two bedroom a pair of tub with a massive balcony, hot water, air con in the bed rooms and it cost me $600 with everything lined as well as the  membership at the 5 star Raffles Hotel for my pool, gym and Jacuzzi. I also had a real smart net affiliation included in that. I'd eat out and in my place  and pay less than $15 a day on most days. The value to get there these days is $1200 meaning that the accommodation for two months was the same because the  plane ticket.

 

You are going to meet hot women everywhere the web shops, bakeries, bars, restaurants, book stores, music stores walking around looking at the cool  architecture. Once you meet them you will in fact want to urge there phone numbers and you will setup things to try and do; That means that unless you are  going to require a language course you need an area that includes a heap of English speakers, and places that have tons of English colleges can conjointly  have tons of coeds that can need to use a native English speaker as a follow board. A very straightforward approach to induce dates with the Asian Girls!

 

One in all the most affordable dates that you'll be able to have is dinner out, even at a good restaurant, it's visiting value but $thirty for the two of  you, and that embody drinks and tips. Another fun inexpensive date is to own them guide you around the native attractions like the museums, parks and  markets. The fun factor here is they need one thing to share with you, and they love talking concerning stuff like that as a result of they are intimate with  the topic, they are going to be animated and comfy, and you're going to get a heap a lot of out of it then if you elapsed yourself or with a paid guide. I  never would have had my first grasshopper if I had not gotten a local lady friend to form me eat it. (The head and legs are great, the abdomen is like mash  potatoes, and takes little getting use to).

 

Therefore you wish to do some homework. Research what the price of living in the world or country that you want to go to is. How abundant is that the  transportation and Communications? Do you think that you will like the native food? Is there a lot of English spoken or are there tons of ESL schools where  you are going?

 

If you do the research I bet that you'll have the same nice time that several others have had before you and your goals of seeing Asia and finding an  Asian girlfriend can be met.

 

About the Author

Ramirez Chuck has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Dating
You can also check out her latest website about :
online games to play for freeWhich reviews and lists the best
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sapa vietnam.mp4


cheap hotels in laos
cheap hotels in laos

Laos Hostels

laos hostels="laos hostels"
Hello, we are 2 girls travelling for 6 months need some advice.?

We are 24 and travelling to Miami, Brazil, L.A, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Honalulu, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Laos, Mumbai then back to London. We have no clue what are the must-see's in these destinations, any feedback would be appreciated!

We are away for 6 months so any ideas how much we would spend? planning on staying mostly in Hostels and we want to party regularly.

Thanks!

Your question isn't really about travelling in Europe :)
I would ask multiple questions in different sections such as Unites States, LA, LV, Japan etc. Not in Europe.

"All about the tubing" Andrewtaylor's photos around Vang Vieng, Lao Peoples Dem Rep


laos hostels

Lao Women

lao women="lao women"

It Is Better To Date Asian Women In Asia And Not In America.

Make no mistake about it, every woman in America is an American to some degree no matter where she came from.

Maybe she was born in a grass hut in the Mekong Delta or on the Manila municipal dump called Smoking Mountain, where thousands of people live by scavenging through garbage.

It doesn't matter. Once they board an airplane and fly over the Pacific Ocean they're bombarded by rays that begin to slowly but surely turn them into Americans.

By the time they land in the USA they're only 99.99% Asian. Nobody knows exactly how this process works, but it's quite real.

It's most obvious in the second generation of any immigrant group to this country. There is always a dramatic clash of values between first and second generations of immigrants.

Asians are simply one of the latest groups of immigrants
to experience this phenomenon.

Probably the first Mongolian family of cave men who migrated over the land bridge from Siberia to Alaska complained about the first generation born in the new world, that their children were more interested in rubbing noses together than obeying their parents.

Another disadvantage is that she is right here. Her
family is right here. You know them and they know
you. If you try to sneak off with some other woman,
they'll be more likely to find out.

Unless you're in a very large urban area, they'll be
certain to find out if you try to date a woman of the same ethnic group as your sweetie. Don't even think about it.

And remember that Lao and Thai people often
intermingle socially, so they count as one group for the practical purpose of avoiding gossip.

I suppose this is not applicable to places like Los Angeles, where there're far too many Vietnamese, Filipinos, etc. for everyone to know everyone else in their own ethnic group.

But if you're dating a Cambodian in a city with only five other Cambodian families, stay away from the other Cambodian women.

Just as you have no control over a woman in Asia, she has no control over what you do here in America. Here, she does.

Her having a knowledge of American customs and laws
could be a nuisance, especially if you live in a community property state.

Unless she is well educated and has sophisticated job
skills, she will probably be an economic liability,
especially at first. The job market is rough for everybody, as we all know.

For unskilled female laborers who can't speak English it's very poor. Sure, as I said earlier, relatively few Asians are on welfare. It's shameful to them and they'd rather work at a low-paying job and save their money to start their own business.

Your woman may have to work for the minimum wage under sweatshop conditions.

If you prefer to have a wife who makes good money you'll have to confine yourself to well-educated native born Americans or the not too common Asian women professionals.

In other words, the Asian women who are least likely to want to marry European-Americans, because they'll have the most choices.

They have families and friends introducing them to single Asian doctors and businessmen.

About the Author

Dao Jones, the founder of
www.asian-girls-dating.com
is connecting Asian women to Western men in a very unique and succesfull way.

Laotian Women Weave Silk Carpets


lao women

Laos New Years

laos new years="laos new years"
How many country celebrate Chinese New Year?

China, Korean, Vietnam,Laos, what else? Happy new year!

No JaySin. The question is "how many country celebrate Chinese New Year?" not who celebrates Chinese New year.?
The US, Canada, Uk and Brazil do not celebrate Chinese New year.

Besides those countries that you mentioned. Mongolians, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand also celebrate Luna New year.

In Vietnam, we don't call Chinese New Year, we call Lunar New Year.

Hmong Laos New Year 2011


laos new years

Lao Market

lao market="lao market"
Thai/Lao Market in San Mateo Area?

Does anyone know of any Thai/Laos or CAmbodian markets in San Mateo or surrounding cities? O'm looking for something specific and Marina Market nor 99 Ranch type of stores has it.
Thank you.

Nak's Market
1151 Chestnut St,
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 325-2046

Fantastic resource of all Thai markets in the Bay area

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/markets.html

Lao Market


lao market

Lao Art Media

lao art media="lao art media"

Bruce Lee Martial Art Jeet Kune Do in India

Bruce Lee stumped the world with his invention of a new age martial art JKD – Jeet Kune Do. His movie "Enter the Dragon" showcased JKD for the first time to the world and drew millions to embark on the martial arts journey.

JKD is a physical- martial and philosophical-spiritual art. The MARTIAL part includes various ranges – Kicking, Punching, Knee- Elbow striking & Grappling with ground fighting.

JKD is unlike Karate & Taekwondo where major emphasis is on kicking, Judo & Wrestling where major emphasis is on body grappling and Boxing which focuses on punches. In JKD emphasis is total on all ranges of fighting - Kicking, Punching, Trapping-Elbow & Knee, as well as grappling & Matwork. JKD deals with the techniques developed by Bruce Lee specifically for himself- Jun Fan JKD, made up from Fencing, Boxing & Wing Chun, which Bruce Lee adapted to form his specific Stance, specific Footwork & specific Strikes.

The PHILOSOPHICAL part is about Lao Tzu, Zen and JKDization of Life. LAO TZU is about balancing Ying & Yang – harder forces and softer forces of existence (Masculine- Feminine, Day-Night, Optimism- Pessimism, Aggression-Accommodation). ZEN is about translating thought into action without rumination or worry. JKDization of Life is problem solving by the 4 fold path – Researching the subject at hand, Absorbing the useful parts & rejecting useless parts of your analysis and finally tailor-making the conclusions to suit your problem.

Despite the colossal success of his films, Bruce Lee did not want to commercialize his art JKD. Hence JKD is not publicly available till date. All those who claim to commercialize JKD by opening schools, using Press & Media, holding tournaments and teaching numbers in batches are prostituting the name JKD without even scratching the surface of the iceberg. A JKD school is always kept low profile, trains only about 7 students at a time, and each is taught individually (tailormade to correct his mistakes & develop his individual attributes) without hoards trained in batches on common techniques.

After Bruce Lees death, since JKD was not available, the result was other martial arts which were available got popular all over the world. Bruce Lee certified few students in his lifetime in various martial arts he taught. Dan Inosanto, Richard Bustillo, Ted Wong, James Lee and Taky Kimura are some of his prominent students. Today Inosanto, Richard Bustillo and Ted Wong are the most sought out Teachers of JKD.

These so called ORIGINAL STUDENTS run seminars all over the world to introduce JKD to the participants. The participants are then awarded JKD SEMINAR ATTENDANCE certificates. These are not to be confused with JKD INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATIONS awarded to deserving by the Original students after a lifetime of specific JKD training under the Original students. The Instructor Certifications are APPRENTICE, ASSOCIATE & FULL INSTRUCTOR which takes decades of researching & training specifically in the Bruce Lee arts.

Those who have been certified by these above Bruce Lees Original Students (first generation) are called SECOND GENERATION INSTRUCTORS. Those who have been certified under second generation are called third generation Instructors. Upto third generation Instructors, one can safely assume that the art of JKD is least diluted.

After Bruce Lees death, Dan Inosanto & Richard Bustillo opened up the IMB Academy (Filipino Kali Academy) which was the first academy to teach JKD. Richard Bustillo had received student certification from Bruce Lee and later was the first student of Inosanto to be issued Senior JKD Instructor Certification, before partnering the first JKD Academy the IMB Academy. Ted Wong, Taky Kimura, Dan lee & others have trained this academy before branching off themselves. Richard Bustillo & Ted wong was instrumental in training Bruce Lees son Brandon Lee, daughter Shannon Lee & in helping raising the Bruce Lee foundation.

To the best of my information, The Bruce Lee foundation has YET NOT DEVELOPED the JKD training program, and is still to develop the JKD Schools all over the world in few years.　There are many who locally register Bruce Lee foundation with the TM & Patent office in their country & claim to be the BL Foundation, without any connection to Bruce Lee. The false claims of being BL Affiliate schools can be easily verified by contacting the BL foundation　& Ted wong for verification of authenticity of the so called BLF Schools in India (!). There is nothing like a BLF affiliated school anywhere in the world. http://www.bruceleefoundation.com/

Then there is the World JKD Federation, which is NOT RECOGNIZED BY the BL Foundation. The World JKD federation is a diploma mill, which offers Full instructor certification to those who pay 500 USD, without ever meeting the students! The BL foundation will not vouch for the online certificate activity of WJKD federation. Many Karate Instructors have been certified by the World JKD federation & claim to teach JKD, without any JKD training. They also hold competitions without realizing that Bruce lee was dead against martial tournaments & sport fighting, with major focus only on full contact no holds barred, all our sparring. Check out http://jeetkunedo.org & http://jeetkunedo.org/inslist.htm

WHO CAN THEN TEACH JKD?

Authentic JKD can only be learnt under those who have been issued Full Instructor certifications by the Original students (Dan Inosanto, Richard Bustillo, Ted Wong among few). You may read the article quoted in the website of BL Foundation below to see how to identify an authentic JKD Instructor. http://www.bruceleefoundation.com/index.cfm?pid=10607

So, only those with full Instructor certifications from original students such as Richard Bustillo, Ted Wong & Dan inosanto, can teach JKD. In my approximation there are about 500 JKD Instructors at all levels in the world of which only about 50 hold full Instructor certifications from original students. Only so many in the last 4 decades after Bruce Lees death!

There are martial artists in the world who have trained under Ted Wong/ Inosanto/ Bustillo for a session or two & who claim that they have Instructor Certifications from him (in their websites, there is no display of any Instructor Certificate from ted Wong). There are those who  are falsely representing BL Foundation in india and "authorize" Indian martial artists to represent BL Foundation to teach JKD in many countries such as india. Please contact BL Foundation to verify these fradulent claims. http://www.bruceleefoundation.com/

One may even contact, Richard Bustillo, based in LA, USA, who still runs the IMB Academy, the first academy that taught JKD after Bruce Lee died. He was an original student of Bruce Lee who was the first senior JKD Instructor certified by Dan Inosanto. He is in his 60's and is a FBI & LA-County Police Defensive Tactics Instructor. He is a martial arts legend and his seminars are in demand all over the world. At 69 years, he constantly travels world wide spreading the torch of JKD. His fansite is http://bustillojkd.tripod.com where more info can be found about him. He too can verify who is authorized to teach JKD as approved by BL Foundation & who is certified by him. Contact him at www.imbacademy.com

The authorized JKD School in India & Asia is the IMB Academy-India/ Asia chapter, in Mumbai called JKD Ideology. I have personally learnt JKD here under the authentic Instructors, who donot wish their names to be publicized. These Instructors are authorized by Richard Bustillo and are full instructors in JKD. This can be easily verified by contacting IMB Academy or Richard Bustillo himself at www.imbacademy.com He will vouch for the JKD Ideology School in India to be the local IMB chapter under his guidance.

Richard Bustillo frequently travels to india to supervise & train the Indian Bruce Lee fans. His last trip was a low publicized trip to Mumbai in March 2010.

If you have to understand more about JKD, you may visit many websites which offer authentic information on JKD. Yes, there are many which mislead you to believe that they offer authentic BLF endorsed information on JKD, while having nothing to do with BL Foundation, but inserts links to BLF website to convince surfers about its realtion to BLF.

For JKD information in India- Mumbai, you may please refer to http://jeetkunedoindia.tripod.com which is IMB – Asia chapter representing Richard Bustillo, Original student of Bruce lee. This website is close in identifying with the concepts & techniques of Jeet Kune Do.

For training in Jeet Kune Do under the same school, visit www.JKDindia.com or contact info@JKDindia.com or call at 9820496752 to learn the authentic low profile Bruce lees art of Jeet Kune Do in India under authority & supervison of IMB Academy USA President, Richard Bustillo, who has been certified by the great Bruce Lee himself.

I hope I have cleared some misconceptions about JKD in India & helped in preserving the good name of the legendary Bruce Lee for the benefit of his fans in India.

Bruce lee strongly believed that one must tailormake every technique to his individual need, by researching, absorbing the useful & rejecting the limitations. He also devised specific techniques to suit his constitution JFJKD. While we must study his methods, we must also understand his concepts, philosophy & ideologies. These will not only help us in becoming better martial artists and also to become good individuals in arena of life.

I wish you luck in your JKD quest, search & journey. I also urge you to remember that JKD is the journey not the destination. So brothers, In the words of Bruce Lee, Walk On!

About the Author

Ritesh Reddy is a Third generation Instructor, JKD Ideology, India

A Father's Heart 7 " By Lao Art Media "


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Accommodation Vientiane Laos

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Vat Sisaket, Vientiane; Laos


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Weather Vang Vieng

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"Vang Vieng" Helenandiain's photos around Vang Vieng, Lao Peoples Dem Rep


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weather vang vieng

Laos Wiki

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MASLOW'S SELF ACTUALIZATION AND BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY

MASLOW'S SELF ACTUALIZATION AND BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY:

Self-actualization is a fancy term, but actually it's quite easy: It means 'becoming what you are capable of becoming'. Self-actualization can be pretty far out for the uninitiated. When you are struggling with such as safety needs, it may seem pretty much like a bunch of fluffy hogwash. But when all that stuff is sorted out, when you have friends and family and are happy with life, you still need to reach out to find out how high you can go.

Self-actualization is a term that has been used in various psychological theories, often in slightly different ways (e.g., Goldstein, Maslow, Rogers). The term was originally introduced by the organismic theorist Kurt Goldstein for the motive to realize all of one's potentialities. In his view, it is the master motive—indeed, the only real motive a person has, all others being merely manifestations of it. However, the concept was brought to prominence in Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory as the final level of psychological development that can be achieved when all basic and Meta needs are fulfilled and the "actualization" of the full personal potential takes place.

There exist vital similarities anyhow across cultures regarding the concept of self-actualization.  Maslow comes close to special parts of Indian thinking by a blur of concepts and a rich variety of definitions. The term 'self-realization' which Maslow uses, was in use among Buddhists and Hindu thinkers before him, as evidenced in a work by Paul Goddard, A Buddhist Bible (1932).  This kind of 'Self-Realization is an equivalent of atmajnana.  By taking these data into account, we can solve many value problems that philosophers have struggled with, ineffectually . . . For one thing, it looks as if there were a single ultimate value for mankind, a far goal . . . This is called variously by different authors as self-actualization, self-realization, integration, psychological health, individuation, autonomy, creativity, productivity, but they all agree that this amounts to realizing the potentialities of the person, that is to say, becoming fully human, everything that the person can become. Maslow's main constructs and his recurrent use of them are flawed, though: in some places he discerns between arrivers (variously called peakers, self-actualizers by him) and non-peakers, and calls the peakers "Fully evolved "self-actualizing people" i.e., fully evolved and developed people". He also tells that more serious study revealed that what he looked for or detected, was not so much of an "either-or" thing based on dichotomy, but a "both-and" thing, that is, qualities fit for a sliding scale. In short, it became clear to him that it was not a matter of either peaking or not peaking, but more or less peaking.

Maslow emphasizes that self-actualization represents the optimal psychological condition for all humankind; the goal of psychotherapy, then, is to help people to develop their own potential for self-actualization. Many of the concepts of self-actualization put forward by Maslow are also those that, coincidentally, have been considered elemental in Zen Buddhism.

According to Maslow (1968), people's basic needs must be sufficiently gratified before they can pursue the
fulfillment of what he calls the higher, transcendent meta-needs related to self-actualization. Maslow asserted that people's complete psychological maturation occurs only when their potentialities are fully developed and actualized. Maslow defined certain unique characteristics of self-actualizing people. Such a person, they maintained, has the following: an accurate perception of reality, a high level of creativity, few defenses, a high level of integration, personal autonomy, unconventional ethics, a need for human kinship, compassion, humility, deep and harmonious interpersonal relationships, a respect for others, a desire to establish new forms of communications and intimacy, and an ongoing concern with personal growth. In addition, Maslow (1954) highlighted these characteristics: spontaneity, receptivity, a problem-centered approach to life, detachment, a fresh appreciation of things, a democratic attitude, a unique value system, a capacity to cope with circumstances, and a likelihood of having peak experiences. Rogers (1961) added, moreover, these qualities: openness to nature and other people, an unconditional self-regard, an inner freedom, authenticity, a yearning for a spiritual life, an indifference to material comforts, a feeling of closeness to nature, and skepticism of science and technology.

Zen Buddhism emphasizes that all people possess an inner perfection, a Buddha-nature. The intent of Zen Buddhism is to help people to attain satori, an inner state of perfection or tranquility. When one becomes enlightened (or attains satori), one's entire personality merges with nature or reality, and a state of perfect harmony is experienced (Chan, 1963). To become free from negative feelings such as fear, anxiety, insecurity, and frustration or from inhibiting ideas or imaginations, it is necessary for people to experience themselves without division. When a person becomes enlightened, his or her perception of self and surroundings are changed. All the opposites and contradictions of the world are united and harmonized into a consistent organic whole. The enlightened person of Zen Buddhism have attained an inner state of perfection or, in Western terminology, have developed their human potential to its maximum extent. Thus, the sage in Zen Buddhism might serve as models of what the self-actualized person is thought to be like in Western thought. The sage and enlightened person are said to have the following characteristics: openness to life, tranquility, simplicity, and genuineness. They also lack arrogance, have few or no wants, hold no tendency to discriminate between opposites, have compassion for others and maintain an indifference to worldly affairs while remaining involved with them. Such people are also able to comply with nature and to transcend the effects of karma (cause and effect and the relationship between the two).

COMPARISONS

It may be helpful here to describe the similarities and differences found in descriptions of the self-actualized person according to Maslow and the Zen Buddhists.

Personal Freedom:

The idea Maslow had of human freedom contrast with philosophies that emphasize human bondage or determinism. Maslow described the self-actualizing person as one who has personal autonomy and who is free to make choices. The actions of the self-actualizing person are not determined solely by the physical and social environment, because such a person has access to personal resources that are, in turn, growth promoting. According to Maslow (1968), the self-actualizing person does not avoid facing or acting on feelings or thoughts that are experienced. The extent to which this person is able to be self-accepting allows for a high degree of freedom in interpersonal interactions.

The self-actualized person of Zen Buddhism is content because no attempt is made to possess anything in life. These people do not obtain personal meaning or pleasure by seeking material possessions and thus are not affected by avarice, licentiousness, and extravagance. They are free because they have nothing to gain or lose in life. It is when people live without desires in this manner, said Lao Tzu (Ch'en, 1977), that they are able to regain an original, genuine state of mind and are free to develop their human potential.

Emphasis on Personal Authority:

The self-actualizing person of Maslow (1954, 1968) remains detached from societal and cultural influences and, in general, is antipathetic to highly structured, inflexible, or bureaucratic institutions. Such a person is characterized in large measure by a sense of personal autonomy and clear decision making, even when the decisions may seem unconventional (Maslow, 1968).

Both Maslow and the Zen Buddhists would not emphasize the importance of accepting authority that comes from sources external to the person. Nevertheless, the self-actualizing person of   Maslow is not independent of society's influence to the extent that the self-actualized Zen Buddhist might be. The enlightened person of Zen Buddhism has an independence that allows for an unconditioned response to life's events. The enlightened one enjoys the here and now but does not indulge in it, for he or she lives life detached from either past or future concerns (Suzuki, 1970).

Emphasis on Caring Interpersonal Relationships:

The self-actualized person of both Maslow and Zen Buddhism feels a kinship with all human beings. These people care about others with a caring that is gentle and not moralistic. These people have a deep desire to help others and, thus, establish interpersonal relationships that are harmonious and profound. Zen Buddhism (Suzuki, 1970) indicates that because the enlightened person is not disturbed by the differences that exist among people, everyone is experienced openly and receptively. Even though Zen Buddhists might sometimes use relatively harsh methods to help people become enlightened, this is done because the master cares deeply about his or her pupil's ultimate welfare.

Acceptance of Reality:

Maslow (1954) indicated that the self-actualizing person has more accurate and realistic perceptions than most people. Because such people know themselves, they do not need to distort the ways they see reality because they are neither defensive nor anxious. They are able to accept whatever happens and to respond to life's circumstances in a realistic and effective manner.

Maslow indicated that to appreciate how a person perceives reality, it is necessary to understand the phenomenal field, or the frame of reference of this person. Reality, for Maslow, includes both the phenomenal field of a person and the stimulating conditions of external reality. And, the self-actualizing person, perceiving both elements accurately, can experience reality with openness and receptivity.

Reality in ZenBuddhism is viewed as a spatiotemporal unity in which wholeness is beyond division into subjective and objective aspects and can be contrasted with the philosophy of Plato, which stressed the importance of ideas or universals in nature. In Zen Buddhism, the only way a person can comprehend the nature of reality is to become enlightened. When a person becomes enlightened, he or she experiences everything that exists in the "here and now" encounter with nature or with other people. Satori is experienced by intuitively embracing reality rather than by obtaining objective knowledge about phenomena. The enlightened person is completely aware of both internal and external reality but does not make a distinction between the two and, thus, fully grasps the meaning of all things (Chan, 1963).

Capacity of Coping:

The self-actualizing person of Maslow (1954) is resilient and flexible and thus has the capacity to cope with changing circumstances. Having a sense of responsibility, duty, obligation, and commitment, such people are likely to use their talents, capacities, and potentialities to the utmost. Maslow pointed out that self-actualizing people are confident enough to trust their perceptions as being an appropriate guide for their actions.

In Zen Buddhism, the enlightened person responds fully to all that happens in life without retreating from experience in the here and now. This person responds to reality openly, without having preconceptions about things, because every moment is experienced as being new and exciting.

The Transcendence of Birth and Death:

The enlightened person of Zen Buddhism intuitively understands the meaning of birth and death and is not bothered by changes inherent in the life cycle. This person allows the law of causation, moral and physical, to take its course, and free and independent, this person continues on, unaffected by karma. This person does not worry about dying because life and death are not perceived as being contradictory occurrences. He is not bothered by the apparent contradictions of life such as being and nonbeing, life and death, construction and destruction. He is not attached to material things or concerns and, while able to identify completely with reality, is yet entirely free from it.

Maslow, on the other hand, did not attempt to deal with questions concerning the meaning of life and death, for their concerns were those of secular psychology and psychotherapy. Unlike many Eastern philosophies that deal with the paradox of life and death, Western psychologists generally leave the consideration of the life and death cycle to the more metaphysical thinkers.

Closeness to Elemental Nature:

Maslow and Zen Buddhism agreed that the self-actualized person feels close to nature and respects its processes. Zen Buddhism believes that nature exists as an objective entity and that the unconscious mind of a person and nature spring from the same life source or principle. Zen Buddhists abstain, then, from making use of nature for selfish purposes and advocate lives of simplicity, frugality, straightforwardness, and virility. Buddhism recommended that people comply with nature by practicing the principle of non-action. All individuals should, on one hand, intuit and strive to develop their own unique endowments, but, on the other hand, non-action is to be advocated in response to natural conflicts and dichotomies. Only by non-action can people see beyond nature's multifarious subjectivities to find its inherent balance and harmony. The sage, by experiencing rather than acting against nature, is able to grasp the truth and so is guided into effective behavior.

A Peaceful Mind:

According to Maslow, the fully functioning person has a peaceful mind, is free, and is well integrated. These people experience psychological equilibrium because they act in a way that is harmonious with an internal actualizing principle.

The enlightened person as per Zen Buddhism is in a state of absolute quietness and calmness and is seemingly pure and unattached. These people are unaffected by internal and external delusions because they are unattached to conceptual ways of viewing life, to people, and to things (Chan, 1963). He lives in a state of tranquility, simplicity, genuineness, and deservedness.

CONCLUSION

Maslow and Zen Buddhism both assumed that every person has an actualizing tendency that promotes growth, direction, and productivity. Maslow believed that the ongoing actualizing tendency is the primary force that counselors rely on to bring about positive changes in clients. Because there appear to be certain similarities between American and Chinese concepts of self-actualization, or the ways that human potential is developed, therapists in Eastern and Western cultures might broaden their perspectives by becoming familiar with alternative theories of human potential. It is significant that the central concept of the person elaborated by the Zen Buddhists, and Maslow has some common elements. All of these theories, for instance, emphasize that the self-actualized person feels close to nature, is independent in thought and deed, and experiences reality openly without being overly controlled by thoughts. The individual in all of these theories is involved in caring and responsible interpersonal relationships. Certain implications can be drawn from the fact that both these theories, which were developed in two very different cultures, have some common perspectives about how the potential of people is developed. Possibly, the perspectives of Zen Buddhism and Maslow have congruent elements because these theories reflect something universal about human experience. The ways that people fully develop their human potential may be seen as a central concern for both Eastern and Western cultures. Taking note of such commonalities may bridge the gap between helping theories of the East and West and may provide a synthesis that can only broaden the perspectives of both. Because the self-actualization theory of Maslow bears certain similarities to concepts of Zen Buddhism, the cultural contexts in which the theory of Maslow applies may be quite broad. It can be hypothesized that the theory of Maslow indicates a universal movement toward human completion relevant to any human culture or society. Patterson (1985), for instance, stated that self-actualization is a concept that has universality because the drive for self-actualization is based in the physiological nature of all living organisms. It may be that there exists an inherent human tendency toward self-actualization that can be expressed in a number of different ways, always within the context of a particular culture. Other articles might compare and contrast the self-actualization theories of the East and West with the ways that the development of human potential is seen in vastly diverse cultures.

Bibliography

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs


2. oaks.nvg.org/jivamukta.html


3. www.age-of-the-sage.org › Psychology Index
   


4. ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/chang.htm


5. www.volconvo.com/.../philosophy.../1595-maslow-s-hierarchy-needs-self-actualization.html


6. andreaskluth.org/.../becoming-a-mensch-self-actualization
   


7. blogs.rediff.com/.../maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-in-light-of-buddhism/


8. wapedia.mobi/en/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs?t=3.


9. atheism.about.com/library/.../bldef_maslowabraham.htm


10. 
    www.metaphoria.org/ac4t9702.html

About the Author

Ms. Sunanda Jindal (Persuing Ph.D in Marketing Management)

Lecturer,

PGDBM & MMM

VITSCSR

PUNE, India

Kambodscha


laos wiki

Tour Lao

tour lao_3="tour lao"

Somkhith Phapakdy - My trip to Ban Sythantay, Laos..Part 3


tour lao
tour lao
tour lao

Business In Laos

business in laos="business in laos"

Business and Market Overview of Thailand

ECONOMY. Thailand has a pro-business market economy driven by strong foreign investments and export oriented manufacturing especially in electronics, foods and automobiles. Thailand's exports account for 60% of the country's GDP. Thailand experienced strong economic growth prior to the Asian economic crisis of 1997 with GDP growth averaging 9.4% annually. However, the crisis adversely affected businesses in Thailand and saw the value of the Thai Baht decline by more than 50% against the US dollar. Since the crisis, the economy has grown on a growth path.
Thailand's GDP was US$163.5 billion with a GDP per capita of US$2,537 in 2004. Thailand's GDP grew by an average of 4.6% annually from 2000 to 2004 driven mainly by exports of high technology products mainly electronics. Inflation remained below 2.0% from 2000 to 2003 but increased to 2.8% by 2004. However, unemployment showed a declining trend from 3.6% in 2000 to 1.8% by 2004.
Nearly 60% of Thailand's workforce is involved in the agriculture industry but contributed to only 9.8% of the country's GDP in 2004. The services industry contributed towards 46.1% of Thailand's GDP and manufacturing 44.1% during the period. Major industries include tourism, electronics, textiles and garments, processed foods, beverages, agriculture produce, jewellery, furniture, plastics, vehicles and vehicle parts and mining of tungsten and tin. Major agriculture products include rice, tapioca, rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybean and milk.

DEMOGRAPHY. Ethnic Thais account for 75% of Thailand's 65 million population and another 11% are Chinese or Sino-Thais who have assimilated into the Thai culture or are from mixed marriages. Minorities include Malays who lived mainly in southern Thailand and account for 4% of the population. Others include the Mon, Lao, Khmers, Puan and Karen minorities and immigrants from India. Nearly 95% of the country's population are Buddhists while Malays in Thailand are predominantly Muslims. Thai is the national language while languages used by the minorities include Malay, Isan and Khmer. Schools teach English but proficiency is low and generally, the educated elite are more proficient with the language.
The majority of the Thai population still live in the rural communities though the proportion of the urban population is increasing. Thailand's urban population increased from 22% of the total population in 2000 to 31% by 2004. Thailand's capital and major city Bangkok accounts for nearly 8% of the country's total population. Other major cities include Nonthaburi, Pak Kret, Hat Yai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai and Udon Thani.
Thailand successfully reduced the poverty level from 27% in 1990 to 10% by 2004. The proportion of the population categorised belonging in the low-income household is estimated at 60% while middle and high-income households account for 30%. The average household income in Bangkok is twice than the national average.

INFRASTRUCTURE. Telecommunication services to the general public are overall adequate. Internet broadband services are mostly concentrated in Bangkok. Cities and towns are well connected by roads but lacks super highways connecting Thailand's cities and major towns. Cities the major towns are served by airports and well connected by buses and rail system.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE. Thailand's major trading partners include Japan, US, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. Main exports from Thailand include electronics, vehicle and vehicle parts, textiles, garments, footwear, seafood, processed foods, rice, rubber, jewellery, electrical appliances including computers. Main imports include machineries and equipments, raw materials and finished products, consumer goods and fuels.

CONSUMER USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY. There were nearly 17.3 million installed fixed-line telephones in 2004 giving a penetration of 40% of all Thai homes installed with telephones. The penetration of mobile phones increased from just 7% of the population in 2001 to 42% or 27 million mobile phones by 2004. The penetration of computers is still low but increased from 5.1% of the households in 2001 to nearly 12% by 2004. The number of internet users reached an estimated 8 million in 2004 but most of the internet users are concentrated in Bangkok and the major cities and towns. The penetration of television in homes in 93% indicating many low-income homes have televisions.

RETAIL MARKET. The retail industry in Thailand totalled an estimated US$24.5 billion in 2004. There are nearly 300,000 traditional "mom and pop" stores in Thailand accounting for 65% of the total retail sales. However, there are 4,500 modern retail establishments (hypermarkets, supermarkets, department stores and convenience stores) accounting for 35% of the total retail sales. Most of the modern retail establishments are located in Bangkok. Shopping in modern retail establishments is increasingly popular and more establishments expected in the near future.

FOOD CULTURE. Rice is the staple food but while those in central and southern Thailand prefer white fragrant rice those in northern Thailand prefer the glutinous variety. Thai dishes are generally hot and spicy but foods from the northern region are generally milder. Thais are less adapting to western foods even if they could afford it compared to consumers in Singapore and Malaysia. However, bakery and coffer shop chains are gaining popularity among young professionals who have adapted to western culture.

About the Author

Khal Mastan is a Senior Consultant with Pegasus Business and Market Advisory (http://bma.pegasus-asia.com) based in Malaysia. He involves himself in business and marketing research and provides consulting services on markets in Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei. He has more than 20 years experience in the region and work experience in various industries. He holds a bachelors degree in Biochemistry and an MBA. He can be contacted at khalzuri@pegasus-asia.com or +6 (03) 7726 5373 in Malaysia.

World Business: Great Strides 12/02/10


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Laos Tourism

laos tourism_3="laos tourism"
Laos and Cambodia travel spots ?

are these 2 countries worth travel ? i hear Laos is like an upcoming hong kong. what are the things to do in these area's ? or what are best asian travel spots? im definitely going to japan first and most likely singapore, but looking for another spot. i've already been to thailand; im into great food, beaches, eco tourism, local shows, and safe travel...

WHAT? How can one compare Laos with Hong Kong? Ain't even a working ATM Machine in the whole of Laos!
Laos is a great country to travel, its friendly, laid back people speaks a sort of Thai dialect, the nature is unspoiled ( as it is unspoiled in Cambodia, too) the pace is slow, and the landscape is beautiful.
If you are into spirituality , well, you have dozens of temples to visit ( or stay in) in Laos, meditation courses to attend to and, of course, the magnificence of the biggest religious complex ever built in the planet, Angkor Wat ( Cambodia)
Fancy some nice beaches? Or tropical islands? Well, coastal Cambodia has more than 20 deserted or semi-deserted islands and beautiful beaches, as well as a dozen of national parks and reservoirs.
Both the countries are safe to travel and much cheaper than Thailand.

Laos: Tourist Attractions


laos tourism
laos tourism

Laos Industry

laos industry="laos industry"

Predators have entered the kitchen electric appliance industry will this shuffle? - Household appliances, kitchen electric - metal industry

Kitchen electricity market, although rapid, but refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines and other large appliances than not most of the market forming several monopoly situation. With air conditioning, for example, frozen the year 2007 (August 2006 ~ July 2007), air-conditioning market share has been the top ten account for nearly eight percent. Chinese and foreign brands in the kitchen

power confrontation, the domestic brands although slightly better, but the kitchen melee power market is still serious, has not stepped into a mature brand pattern, Shuaikang, side too, the boss, Vantage, 10 000 and composed of the first camp, and the pack rise of the second and third camp co-exist in the market will remain a certain period. Kitchen electric market concentration is low overall brand, the former several advantages not obvious. Currently involved in large and small kitchen electric products, brand no less than 400, but annual sales of more than 10 million units in less than 20, sold 300 million units in less than 10.

2007 kitchen electric year is a year of significant change occurred in the market, this year's generous access to a large kitchen appliance electric field of business. Early July 2007, Changhong has been announced, the company spent more than three million new sets of annual production capacity of the main R & D manufacturing range hood, gas stoves, disinfecting cabinet, Yuba and other kitchen appliances and kitchen accessory products for the professional Changhong Kitchen & Bath Industry base has been successfully put into production, which marks the Changhong has officially entered the domestic kitchen market overall. September 2007, the U.S. subsidiary of the household appliances kitchen appliances company group, Bathroom Electric Company combined to form the "whole kitchen division." U.S. and Changhong's big move by the industry a high degree of concern and led home appliance industry, "hand in" kitchen electric market, a new round of high tide. In the home appliance giant funds, technology, channels, and strong position in front of kitchen electrical industry will be increasingly fierce competition. Another old giant electric kitchen Zhejiang Ningbo Ying Qi, also relying awarded "China Famous Brand" and "Shanghai Ten brand" reputation, cabinets and kitchen appliances will be integrated together to create the overall kitchen cherry strange culture.

2008 kitchen electrical brands or are inflection point

Kitchen electrical industry as a whole is too cluttered, small business, miscellaneous troops too much and lack of uniform national standards. However, in high-end product line, brand concentration is relatively high. For example in the hood on the market, it has a "handsome Lao side," said, Shuaikang, boss, party too three products account for nearly half of the market.

Squeeze as many appliances predators, kitchen electric industry will soon face a reshuffle. Changhong, Midea and other major home appliances brands to enter, with the brand, the current kitchen will undoubtedly bring greater impact electricity market. In addition, foreign enterprises have begun to be optimistic about China kitchen electric market profits. Siemens push into the whole kitchen, Panasonic, Electrolux and other multinational giants to kitchen appliances as the starting point, claiming that kitchen electrical appliances in China to do market leader.

Major appliance manufacturers have good brand awareness and reputation, this brand will inevitably extend to the kitchen electricity market. In addition, major appliances sales channel is its wind power into the kitchen. For now, many large household appliances enterprises, in addition to the traditional chain stores and distribution channels, many companies have established their own 3C store, such as Changhong's musicians easily, TCL's well-being of trees, etc., which undoubtedly will kitchen electrical product sales more smoothly.

2008, due to the 12 kitchen electric company will focus on main brands are beginning to compete for two, three market towns in 2008 will be even more intense competition; consumers on product quality and product service and other aspects of business request, kitchen electric companies will further increase the pressure; the introduction of energy efficiency standards, combined with May 1, 2008 version of "domestic gas with" the implementation of national standards, in the reshuffle of the same industries, but also new growth opportunities in the future "energy-saving technology war" is likely to replace the "price war." Many indications that the ecological balance of the kitchen has electric industry began to show signs of shuffling. In recent years, housing demand-pull kitchen

rigid power consumption, since spring 2008, the property market from the sidelines strong feelings of view, this more or less demand for electricity will lead to a relatively small kitchen.

About the Author

I am an expert from repairtestequipments.com, while we provides the quality product, such as CP-60 Current Probe manufacturer , china XDECTM ECU, repair test equipment suppliers,and more.

Tea & Coffee World Cup Asia Exhibition & Symposiums 2011, Singapore - LAOS Coffee Industry


laos industry

Diethelm Travel Laos

"Laos to Cambodia and corrupted custom officers" Sudanthaka's photos around Siem Reap, Cambodia


diethelm travel laos

Laos Natural Resources

laos natural resources="laos natural resources"

India-asean Fta: Implications for India’s Northeast

Introduction

India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)[i] have concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after years of difficult negotiations. This agreement will be signed into a treaty at the India-ASEAN Summit to be held in Bangkok on December 2008 and will come into force from January 1, 2009 if everything goes as planned.

Expectations from the India-ASEAN FTA are high. The Joint Media Statement of the Sixth ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)-India Consultations stated that “the AIFTA could be a major avenue in harnessing the region’s vast economic potentials towards sustained progress and improved welfare not only for ASEAN and India but for the greater East Asian region as well.”[ii]

The India-ASEAN FTA is the result of many international and domestic factors. On one hand, the trend of international regionalisation and the proliferation of FTAs and the failure of the Doha round of multilateral talks to yield concrete results led both India and the ASEAN countries to consider alternative solutions towards freer trade. On the other, the adoption of policies by India and ASEAN to develop better cooperation with their immediate neighbours in recent years has helped accelerate this negotiation.

In this context, India’s Northeast came to be seen in a new light. Several steps have been taken to improve relations with India’s immediate neighbour Myanmar. India has also trade relations with Thailand and Singapore. India and Myanmar shared a 1643 km long border. Myanmar being a member of ASEAN, the north eastern states of India become an important link between the two parties.

This paper is an attempt to analyse what forebode India and its Northeast states in the light of the much-hyped India-ASEAN FTA. It will start by looking into the relationship between India and ASEAN and culminate with the present agreement. After that, the paper will analyse the implications the AIFTA can have on the north eastern states of India. It will, however, not delve into the security-insurgency dimension that has almost become an anthem for most writers on north eastern India except in giving some passing remarks. It will, instead, try to highlight the many projects, plans and proposals that has been undertaken in the north east during the past few years and explore possible opportunities, problems and solutions for this region and for the FTA.

 

India and ASEAN: Shared ties, divergent policies and convergence?

Although India and ASEAN countries have shared cultural and historical ties, India’s interactions with ASEAN countries was quite limited during the Cold War as the two pursued policies which were not very conducive to deep rooted interactions and commitments to each other. Soon after the end of the Second World War, India championed the process of decolonisation and drew recognition and appreciation from different parts of the world. It became one of the founding members of the Nonaligned Movement (NAM). Even though Indonesia was also a member of NAM alongside India, this relationship did not extend beyond that.

The arrival of bipolar politics in Southeast Asia, the Vietnam crisis and India’s close ties with the Soviet Union led to the adoption of divergent policies by both India and ASEAN. ASEAN was formed in 1967 during the Vietnam War primarily to diffuse regional conflicts and to promote better relations between members. Communist victories in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia soon worsened the already fragile security situation of Southeast Asia. Thus by 1976, ASEAN was forced to contemplate to become an association with security as its main concern. The reunification of Vietnam and the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia created another security dilemma. While ASEAN chastised Vietnam, India supported Vietnam. ASEAN’s suspicions of the Soviet Union and the paranoia it had with anything communist led many, including India, to regard ASEAN as allies of the capitalists or a pro-American bloc. Suspicion was so high during this time that India refused to hold dialogues with ASEAN twice in 1975 and 1980.

But with the end of the Cold War, interactions between India and ASEAN became more frequent; and relations between the two began to improve at a very fast pace. Following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, India began to adopt liberalisation policies. Meanwhile, ASEAN had also emerged as an important regional organisation with great potentials and opportunities for growth. The transformation of the international system and new outlooks led to the adoption of the Look East Policy by India. When India initiated its Look East Policy in 1991, it marked a strategic shift in its foreign policy and perceptions towards its eastern neighbours. ASEAN’s strategic importance in the larger Asia-Pacific region and the potentials it has in becoming India’s major partner in trade and investment also added an impetus to India to develop closer ties with it. In addition, considering that the proposed South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is unlikely to produce any solid outcome, this policy shift and agreement on the part of India is as strategic as it is important. The Indian Prime Mister Manmohan Singh commented thus, “This was not merely an external economic policy; it was also a strategic shift in India’s vision of the world and India’s place in the evolving global economy. Most of all it was about reaching out to our civilizational neighbours in the region.”[iii]

In continuance of India’s Look East Policy, the process of interregional cooperation was institutionalised with India becoming a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992; a full dialogue partner in 1995 and member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1996. India became a summit-level partner of ASEAN in 2002 and concluded the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity in 2004. India also became engaged in regional initiatives such as the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). India has now become a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS) since December 2005.

The deepening of relationship between India and ASEAN is reflected in the buoyancy of trade figures between the two. During April-September 2007-2008, trade grew from US$ 15.06 billion to US$ 17.02 billion, that is, trade grew by 13 per cent. India’s Foreign Trade with ASEAN, according to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), is also on the rise. During the period 2005-2006 to 2006-2007, India’s exports to ASEAN registered a growth rate of 20.67 per cent. Similarly, India’s imports from ASEAN during the same period registered a growth rate of 66 per cent. India-ASEAN trade stood at US$ 38.37 billion in 2007-2008 and is projected to reach US$ 48 billion during 2008-2009.[iv]

At the first India-ASEAN Summit held at Phnom Penh on November 5, 2001, India called for an India-ASEAN FTA within a 10-year time frame. In this context, the second India-ASEAN Summit held at Bali on October 8, 2003 was a significant landmark in India-ASEAN relations. This Summit saw the signing of the Framework Agreement for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between India and ASEAN. This agreement envisaged the establishment of an FTA within a period of ten years. In March 2004, an ASEAN-India Trade Negotiations Committee (AI-TNC) was established to negotiate the implementation of the provisions of the Framework Agreement. India has, since then, entered into numerous agreements with ASEAN. At the sixth India-ASEAN Summit held at Singapore on November last year, India proposed to increase its bilateral trade with ASEAN to the tune of US$ 50 billion by the year 2010. The latest agreement is therefore, the result of many years of tactful policies that led to the thawing of the ice between these two important emerging economic powers in Asia.

In addition to these agreements with ASEAN, India has also made consistent efforts to develop bilateral ties with ASEAN members. With Thailand, India has 61 years of diplomatic relations. India also has a Free Trade Agreement with Thailand that was signed in 2004. The framework agreement on bilateral FTA of 2003 was the basis of this FTA with Thailand. Trade between the two increased from a mere US$ 606 million to US$ 3.14 billion in 2006-2007.

With the CLV countries (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam), India entered into a number of bilateral agreements for cooperation in the fields of trade, science and technology , agriculture, defence, visa exemption, tourism, IT and culture. India has major projects in the fields of education, entrepreneurship development and IT in these three countries. In 2004, India extended a credit line of US$ 27 million to Vietnam.

Malaysia is a major source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for India, particularly in the areas of LPG, power plants and highway constructions. Trade between the two rose from US$ 2.2 billion in 2002-2003 to US$ 6.6 billion in 2006-2007. Indian public sector undertakings such as BHEL and IRCON have also undertaken and completed a number of projects in Malaysia. Presently, after the India-ASEAN FTA negotiations, it is reported that about 150 Indian engineering firms are eying to diversify their export base in ASEAN markets and are planning to make Malaysia the regional hub to penetrate the region.[v] Many of these companies are exploring the possibilities of joint ventures, technology transfers and investment opportunities.

It was mainly because of the insistence of Indonesia that India became a part of the East Asia Summit in 2005. Relations between the two had been very good for many years. Bilateral trade between the two increased by 44 per cent from 2005-2006 to 2006-2007.

India has a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with Singapore since 2005. This agreement included bilateral investment promotion treaty, double taxation avoidance agreement, an air services agreement and an FTA. Singapore, along with Indonesia had been an important factor for India’s inclusion into the East Asian Summit. In addition, it was Singapore’s role that paved the way for India’s association with the ARF. Singapore is the biggest source of FDI for India among ASEAN countries. During the period 2000 to 2008, the cumulative FDI of Singapore into India was worth a whooping US$ 4.35 billion. Concurrently, over two thousand Indian companies were based in Singapore.

India also has plans for a free trade area with Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia by 2011 and with the remaining ASEAN countries by 2016. Since 1995, India had actively engaged Myanmar in trade. It has signed several agreements and MOUs including the Tripartite Maritime Agreement with Myanmar and Thailand, Border Trade Agreement and for cooperation between civilian authorities between India and Myanmar. Since 2000, a number of high level visits have taken place. During these visits, several agreements and MOUs have been signed in areas ranging from hydroelectric projects on the Chindwin River and IT cooperation to cultural exchange programmes. In the year 2003 alone, seven Agreements/MOUs were signed to promote trade and communication facilities. By 2006-2007, bilateral trade between India and Myanmar reached US$ 650 million as compared to US$ 341.40 million in 2004-2005.

 

India-ASEAN FTA, Look East Policy and the Northeast

The announcement came after the conclusion of the 6th ASEAN AEM – India Consultations held at Singapore on 28 August 2008. The text of the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement will be finalised before the India-ASEAN Summit to be held in December 2008 at Bangkok where it will be formally signed into a treaty and will come into force from January 1, 2009. This Summit will be attended by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

This agreement, it is expected, will bring a free trade regime to about two billion people from 11 countries with a combined GDP of $2,381 billion as of 2007. The agreement covering billions of dollars in trade in goods but not in services was supposed to have been concluded last year but talks were bogged down because of differences over products that India wanted excluded from tariff cuts. India had submitted a list of 1,414 products but ASEAN’s target was only 400. In the end, the agreement permits India to have 489 products in the ‘exclusion list’ and 606 sensitive goods that will come under partial duty reductions.

This agreement is to be viewed against the backdrop of the long drawn-out Doha round of multilateral talks. As the Doha talks continue to drag on, this agreement between India and ASEAN can be seen as a natural course of action for countries refusing to entangle themselves in the protracted Doha round of talks. This agreement, along with the comprehensive FTA between ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand (AANZ FTA), became the first major trade agreement in the post-Doha era of trade policy negotiations.

The India-ASEAN FTA is also the result of recent changes in ASEAN’s policy towards its immediate neighbours and other important trading partners all over the world. In recent years, ASEAN has been involved with its major trading partners in concluding FTAs. In 1999, the ASEAN+3[vi] was formed for the establishment of a common market and a currency. China was the first to conclude an FTA with ASEAN followed by Japan and South Korea. The present FTA between India and ASEAN, and the AANZ FTA completes this trend. ASEAN will now be able to strike a fine balance in trade among its immediate neighbours.

The India-ASEAN FTA also needs to be viewed in the broader context of global trends towards regional or bilateral trading arrangements (RTAs/FTAs). Out of the 108 RTAs notified to the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) over the period 1948-1994, 33 of them had been established in the early 1990s. By the year 2000, almost half of the 220 RTAs notified to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are initiated after the Cold War. Such is the importance accorded to RTAs or FTAs in recent times that no country can ill afford to ignore it. Till July 2007, some 380 RTAs have been notified to the WTO.[vii]

For India, this agreement will be a major milestone in its Look East Policy that began after the collapse of the erstwhile Soviet Union. The current agreement will take India far beyond its existing trade agreements with Myanmar, Thailand and Singapore.

It is in these contexts that India’s Northeast came to be seen in a new light. Rajiv Sikri, the Secretary East of the Ministry of External Affairs remarked that the Look East Policy “envisages the Northeast region not as the periphery of India, but as the centre of a thriving and integrated economic space linking two dynamic regions with a network of highways, railways, pipelines, transmission lines crisscrossing the region.”[viii]

Myanmar, now being a member of ASEAN and having shared a 1643 km long border with India, is now becoming the major link between India and ASEAN countries. The Northeast states of India have now also been seen as the ‘gateway’ to the ASEAN countries.

One early outcome of the Look East policy was the Indo-Myanmar Trade Agreement signed in 1994. According to this agreement, border trade between the two is to be conducted through Moreh in India and Tamu in Myanmar; Champhai in India and Hri in Myanmar and other places that may be notified by mutual agreement. Several Indian companies are also engaged in oil and gas exploration in Myanmar.

In 2001, India upgraded the 160 km long Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemyo highway. Plans for a 1400 km long trans-Asian highway that will connect India, Myanmar and Thailand is now being finalised. A railway link that will extend up to Imphal in Manipur in the first phase and up to Myanmar in the second phase is also being planned. Bilateral trade between India and Myanmar has also been expanding at a significant rate since 2001. India has extended a number of general and project-specific credit lines in the last few years. Some major projects between the two, besides the ones already mentioned include the Rhi-Tiddim and Rhi-Falam Roads in Myanmar, the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project and the Tamanthi Hydro Electric Power Project.

The Kaladan Multimodal Transit-cum-Transport project agreement was signed in April this year. Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of State for Commerce said that the Rs. 548 Crore project will help increase connectivity between the two countries. This project will link Kolkata and Sittwe, Kaleutwa in Myanmar by road and would go through Mizoram in India. It also envisages the development of a 225 km waterway on the Kaladan River and the construction of ports along the way. The minister said that north eastern India will be able to boost its border trade with Myanmar. We will also consider opening up of trading points in Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. At present, we have only one trading point at Moreh in Manipur. This project will also help India to effectively integrate with the ASEAN region through Myanmar.[ix] Plans to allow free movement of Myanmarese citizens up to Moreh town in Manipur is also afoot. The Manipur Government has also submitted a Rs. 200 Crore project proposal to the Central Government to develop infrastructure at Moreh.

In 2006, a proposal for a bus service between Imphal and Mandalay was considered and accepted by the Indian Government. But till now, no such service has been undertaken. But during the September 2008 visit of a 17-member trade delegation from Myanmar at Imphal, the Myanmar trade delegation expressed their desire to implement the proposed Imphal-Mandalay bus service definitely. This visit was a reciprocal visit after a trade delegation from Manipur visited Mandalay during the month of April 2008. After holding a series of meetings, both the sides agreed to put pressure on their respective governments to improve the existing border trade between India and Myanmar.

Earlier in April 2008, after the visit of a strong Myanmar official and business delegation to India, both the two countries had agreed to increase border trade that is restricted to only 22 items, all being agricultural products. There are now plans to free more items including life saving drugs, fertilizers, garments, x-ray papers and motor parts.

The latest agreement signed between India and Myanmar is the four-point economic cooperation agreement signed in June this year. This agreement was signed by the Indian Minister for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh and the Myanmar Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha. First, the Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement (BIPA) was signed to encourage investment between the two countries. Second, a credit line agreement between the Exim Bank of India and the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank was signed to finance three 290 kv transmission lines in Myanmar. This US$ 64 million project will be executed by the Power Grid Corporation of India. Third, a credit line agreement for US$ 20 million between the Exim Bank of India and the Myanmar Trade Bank was signed to finance the establishment of an aluminium conductor steel reinforced wire manufacturing facility. This facility will be used for the expansion of power distribution network in Myanmar. Fourth, the United Bank of India (UBI) and the Myanmar Economic Bank signed an agreement to encourage border trade through Moreh. There are also plans to expand trade centres to include Arangkhu and Lungwa in Nagaland, Zokhawthar in Mizoram, Pangsan Pass in Arunachal Pradesh and Behiang, Skip and Tusom in Manipur.[x]

At present, only Moreh border trade centre in Manipur is functional with other centres becoming non-functional.

Till now, results are far below expectations, especially for the Northeast. In practice, the agreements between India and Myanmar do not extend much beyond granting formal sanctions to the already existing exchanges between the local people. In effect, border trade remains insignificant and did not contribute much towards economic growth for neither country. Among the many problems faced by both countries, security concerns and the poorly developed infrastructure for trade are the most acute. For trade and commerce to flourish, the entire network of transport and communication, industries and agriculture throughout the Northeast also needs to be revamped and developed. Unless this is done, the much touted India-ASEAN FTA will be just another statistics in the minds of a very few researchers, academicians, scholars and administrators in Northeast India.

An important point to note is that although trade performance has improved with India’s eastern neighbours, many of these exchanges had been done through seaports, leaving the northeast states in the lurch. If the northeast is to benefit from any improved trade relations or any present or future FTAs, the numerous plans and proposals that has been put forth and are in paper only must be implemented and brought to fruition first. The very few roles that the northeast states are playing right now should also be promoted to a more central role so that the north east states could reap the fruits of its own fields.

In a nutshell, Northeast India, a storehouse of great natural resources but very backward economically, needs to be built up and readied if it is really going to be the ‘gateway’ or ‘centre’ of trade between India and East Asia. Unless the region is developed to catch up with the rest of the country in its growth rate and development, it will be hard to achieve what the people aspired for – peace, security, prosperity and all round development. To make this possible, substantial investment in infrastructure, construction of roads, bridges, communication networks, harnessing of the region’s vast natural resources and other physical infrastructures that will facilitate trade and economic progress needs to be developed.

With the impending AIFTA, India’s Northeast region has suddenly become the centre of focus once again. But this region has been lacking behind other Indian states in most respects in spite of its vast natural resources and strategic position as a link between India and Southeast and East Asian countries. The main reasons why this region remains backward are the lack of any infrastructure that could facilitate any development in the region, poor market access and, to some degree, security issues.

The Indian government also concedes that the Northeast has a long way to go to achieve the national growth rate of nearly 9 per cent. The growth rate of Northeast is only 4 per cent. To increase the growth rate and economy of this region will be an important step because herein lies many solutions to some pressing political and security problems.

Therefore, in the context of the present FTA, the author is of the opinion that unless the Northeast region is developed wholeheartedly, neither India nor ASEAN will really benefit from it.

Concluding Remarks

Lately, there has been a flurry of activities that are of great importance to the north east states with some conscious efforts being made to develop this region. The Union Minister for the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Mani Shankar Aiyar said that the Centre is aiming to promote the region as a major FDI destination and an export centre. The minister added that these are all attempts to make the region the arrowhead of India’s future economic growth. On July 2, 2008, the Indian PM released the North Eastern Region Vision 2020 document which contained detailed reports for the development of the north eastern region. The PM gave his assurances that the visions contained within this document will be made a reality. To quote him extensively, he said, “Infrastructure deficiency remains a major concern of the Government. You will be happy to know that we have decided to link all State Capitals with railway lines. These projects have been given the status of National Projects with a special funding pattern. Airports are being modernized and new ones are being built. An ambitious programme of road building has been taken up under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North East (SARDP-NE) and an amount of Rs. 31,000 Crore is being invested on roads in the 11th Five Year Plan. There are relaxed guidelines for rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) so that even the farthest hamlets on the border are linked by road. Within the 11th Plan period, these interventions will begin to show positive results. To bridge the infrastructure gap in the region, our Government has taken several initiatives. Work on the Tipaimukh and Loktak Downstream Hydro Electric Projects, costing about Rs.6,000 crores and Rs. 800 crores respectively, has been expedited. The 726 MW Palatana Gas based Power Plant, with an outlay of Rs.3,000 crores, a 750 MW Thermal Power Plant at Bongaigaon with an outlay of Rs. 4375 crores, and the Assam Gas Cracker Project have all broken ground. The Kumarghat-Agartala railway line has been approved as a National project, with an outlay of Rs. 750 Crores. The Jiribam–Tupu-Imphal railway line, which will put the Manipur valley on the rail map of India, has also been sanctioned as a National project for Rs. 727 Crores.”[xi]

On September 12, 2008, Lt. General ML Naidu visited Imphal and discussed with the Manipur Chief Minister issues pertaining to security, law and order situation in Manipur. It is still not clear if this visit has any significance in the context of our current discussions, but is certainly significant if we take into account the timing of the visit and the rank of the visitor.

 

End Notes

[i] ASEAN was formed in 1967. Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines constituted the five original members. Brunei became a full member in 1984; Vietnam in 1995; Laos and Myanmar in 1997; and Cambodia in 1999.

[ii] http://www.aseansec.org/21895.htm

[iii] Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's address at the 16th Asian Corporate Conference driving global business : India's new priorities, Asia’s new realities. URL: http://www.indianembassy.org/newsite/press_release/2006/Mar/35.asp

[iv] India’s trade statistics and other commercial information can be had from the DGCIS website at http://www.dgciskol.nic.in/

[v] http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=351756

[vi] ASEAN+3 include ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea.

[vii] http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/region_e/region_e.htm

[viii] http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050412/asp/opinion/story_4590622.asp also see http://meaindia.nic.in/speech/2005/05/31ss02.htm

[ix] http://www.financialexpress.com/news/India-Myanmar-expects-Kaladan-project-to-increase-border-trade/292285/

[x] See http://commerce.nic.in/PressRelease/pressrelease_detail.asp?id=2280

[xi] http://pmindia.gov.in/speech/content.asp?id=693

About the Author

The author has a Ph. D. in International Politics from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
His areas of interest are Southeast Asia, Southern Africa and Latin America and writes mainly on the politics of regional integration in these areas. He also writes on issues pertaining to South Asia, particularly on India's Northeast.

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