Thailand Consulate-General Krongkanit Rackcharoen, who was here to visit some of the Buddhist sites and attend an international conference on India-ASEAN relationship, told The Hindu that they would consider in the next phase the development of a circuit connecting Buddhist sites located at Thotlakonda, Bojjanakonda, Amaravati and other places in the State.

On her recent meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, she said he promised to allot 10 acres at Amaravati for construction of a world-class temple of Lord Buddha. She said there was a huge potential to bring international tourists as Buddhism originated from India.

She said a team from Thailand comprising architects and other experts would be deputed to Amaravati to finalise the temple construction work after landscaping and designing.

Stating that on an average one million tourists from India visit Thailand, she admitted that fewer Thai tourists were visiting India and hoped that their number would go up substantially once Buddhist circuit and the temple project at Amaravati were completed.

Direct flight

She said they would consider operating a direct flight either from Visakhapatnam or Vijayawada after they conducted a feasibility study. “Viability will be the sole criterion for introducing the flight,” she said.