You would soon be able to take a road trip from India into Burma, Thailand, and eventually to Cambodia and Vietnam! Come 2015, and the Indian government, in collaboration with its Burmese counterpart, will complete a highway connecting Guwahati to Bangkok, passing through Mandalay and Rangoon in Burma (Myanmar). Pinch yourself, it’s true. [Er...we are trying to be very optimistic here and not taking into account Indian Standard Time].

Anil Wadhwa, Indian ambassador to Thailand, recently said that the multi-billion 1,632-km highway is expected to be completed by 2015. The project aims at improving connectivity between India and the Mekong-delta region, and open up trade opportunities between the three countries.

Good News Part II

This announcement came on the eve of the launch of the Bangalore-to-Bangkok flight of SpiceJet. The direct service to Bangkok is priced at Rs 7,999 one way and will operate four times a week.

Profit Hi Profit

Though the popularity of the road route among tourists is a tad doubtful considering the time it’d take one to reach Bangkok, it will certainly be one heck of a money saver and a mind-blowing adventurous road trip.

And certainly a lucrative option for those wanting to explore Burma, especially since Burma flights from India aren’t exactly cheap. Guess it’ll be ‘gross national happiness’ for tourists too.

Another candidate that will gain tremendously from this is the wedding sector. Wadhwa pointed out how Thailand is increasingly becoming a favourite wedding destination for Indians wanting to add a touch of the exotic to their wedding. No need to state how much cheaper it is to ferry all your guests, and designers and stylists by road than by air.

What the Industry Experts Say:

“The idea is that you can get in a car or bus and drive to Bangkok from Guwahati […] It marks a great opening of a new economic zone,” Mohan Guruswamy from the Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Pack your bags and go vroom! The world is getting smaller!