On 23-24 and 27 September 2024, Ms. Sasirit Tankulrat, Director-General of the Department of South Asian, Middle East, and African Affairs, led a delegation of representatives from 12 Thai educational institutions and representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation to visit Assam, India, aiming to foster educational cooperation between Thailand and Assam.

The delegation held discussions with Dr. B. Kalyan Chakravarthy, Principal Secretary of Skill, Employment, and Entrepreneurship of Assam and high-level representatives of the Ministry of Education of Assam and the Act East Policy Affairs Department of Assam. The discussions focused on promoting educational cooperation between Thailand and Assam, particularly in the fields of tourism and enhancement of skill capabilities among youths and entrepreneurs, as well as academic collaboration on social sciences, humanities, linguistics and culture, and information technology.

In addition, the Thai delegation visited leading educational and training institutions in Assam, including the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM), Guwahati University, the Indian Institute of Technology (Guwahati), Biotech Park, and the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (Guwahati). Various forms of collaboration were explored, such as student and faculty exchange programs, dual degree programs, joint research, and short course and vocational training courses.

On this occasion, the Thai side announced the provision of scholarships and training courses for students in Assam and other states from the North Eastern Region of India, marking the kick-off for long-term collaboration. A networking event was organized between the Thai educational institutions and educational institutions from the NER, providing opportunities for both sides to build networks of cooperation and to discuss areas of mutual interest and possible collaboration in detail. Participants from the Indian side included 16 universities and educational institutions in the NER as well as from the Assam State, with 120 pairs matched.