Thailand ready to host IMF-WBG Annual Meetings next year

The Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) has announced that Thailand is ready to host the 2026 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Bangkok.
Boosting Thailand’s Image

FPO Director-General Winij Wiset Suwannaphum stated that hosting the 2026 IMF-WBG Annual Meetings would enhance Thailand’s image in several areas. The event will showcase Thailand’s economic and financial roles in the Southeast Asian region and demonstrate the country’s potential to host international conferences, highlighting its readiness in aviation and transportation infrastructure, Winij added.

Event Details and Venue

The IMF-WBG Annual Meetings will be held from October 12 to 18, 2026, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Thailand will be one of only three countries outside the United States to have hosted the IMF-WBG Annual Meetings twice, having previously done so in 1991. Winij confirmed that the meetings will take place at the same venue used for the 1991 meetings and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2022.

Showcasing Thainess to the World

During the meetings, Thailand will present the unique characteristics of "Thainess" in terms of culture, food, and tourism destinations for the attendees. The event will provide an opportunity to showcase Thailand’s rich heritage to a global audience.

Economic and Tourism Benefits

Winij added that the meetings would help revive the economy and benefit the tourism and services sectors. The event will also attract investments in various sectors, with over 15,000 participants from 191 countries expected to attend. The government plans to allocate 2.8 billion baht for hosting the event.

Three Phases of Benefit

Thailand will benefit from hosting the event in three phases:

• Short-term: Generating income from hotels, restaurants, and transportation for over 15,000 conference attendees.
• Medium-term: Showcasing the country’s potential to policymakers from participating countries, highlighting the capital city’s standards as a Global City, which will influence perception and investment.
• Long-term: Elevating the country in multiple dimensions, improving service standards, reinforcing Thailand’s position as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) city, and creating institutional and systemic legacies for the country, even after the conference has concluded.

Theme of the 2026 IMF-WBG Meetings

Chayawadee Chai-anant, Assistant Governor of the Corporate Relations Group at the Bank of Thailand (BOT), mentioned that the meetings would be held under the theme “Thailand’s New Horizons: Empowering People, Building Resilience.” The theme will reflect the country’s developments with the people at the centre, aiming to create resilience in the economic and financial systems to cope with future risks.

Promoting Digital and Economic Development

Chayawadee added that the theme would highlight Thailand’s goals to develop digital payments, creative economy, wellness tourism, and enhance the potential of the Thai workforce. She said the meetings would allow the country to exchange knowledge and promote cooperation among nations, pushing for the enhancement of people’s potential to strengthen the economy, so that all countries can progress toward “new horizons.”