BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand announced it is ready to host the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in October, marking the second time the Southeast Asian nation will host the global summit since 1991. The premier global financial forum, scheduled for Oct. 12-18, 2026, at Bangkok’s Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, is expected to draw over 15,000 delegates from 191 countries, including global policymakers, finance ministers, and central bankers.
“Hosting this summit is a major opportunity to deliver tangible benefits to Thailand and its citizens,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas said. Ekniti noted the event will stimulate the economy and elevate Thailand’s global credibility under the local-to-global concept.
The Southeast Asian country has framed the summit around the theme “Thailand’s New Horizons: Empowering People, Building Resilience,” focusing on driving policies across four pillars: digital and AI transformation, building resilience in a fragmented world, climate adaptation, and demographic change.
As part of its policy contributions, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) announced it will introduce the “Bangkok Blueprint” policy framework during the summit. Developed in collaboration with the IMF and World Bank, this global output will serve as a policy compass that countries can adapt to their unique contexts to build trust in the digital financial era. The framework will cover robust policy and legal foundations, fraud prevention and detection, enhanced inter-agency and international cooperation, and raising public financial literacy and digital resilience. “Digital finance must not only be fast but also highly secure and inclusive of all,” said BOT Governor Vitai Ratanakorn. The Thai government added that preparations are fully underway, with delegations from the IMF and World Bank currently in Bangkok for a final evaluation mission. (TNA)
