The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Indian Studies Centre of Chulalongkorn University, co-host the 2^nd BIMSTEC Network of Policy Think Tanks Meeting on 8 – 9  October 2015, at Anantara Siam Hotel, Bangkok. The said meeting, which is an academics forum under the area of People-to-People Contacts of BIMSTEC, aims to bring the designated Think Tanks of BIMSTEC Member States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) to discuss the idea and opinion on how to bring about concrete cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework.

Furthermore, this meeting emphasizes on the need to foster people-to-people contacts at all levels through the promotion of cooperation in culture, tourism, and sports, the exchange of students/youths, and other relevant activities such as organizing seminars and publishing books on BIMSTEC. Moreover, it is also an opportunity for the Think Thanks from BIMSTEC Member States to reflect upon the current priority areas of cooperation of BIMSTEC and make recommendations to move forward.  As the Lead Country in this area of cooperation, Thailand commits to enhance people-to-people ties by making BIMSTEC more visible and relevant to the public.

H.E. Mr. Sumith Nakandala, BIMSTEC Secretary-General, and the BIMSTEC Think Tanks will also pay a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Apichart Chinwanno, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand on 9 October 2015 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to report on the progress made during the Meeting.