Thailand to host IMF-World Bank 2026 conferences
Thailand would be hosting the 2026 annual meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank,
Pornchai Thiravej, director of the Finance Ministry’s Office of Fiscal Economy Director, and the Bank of Thailand (BOT)’s Assistant Governor for Corporate Relations, Chayawadee Chaianan announced today (November 28).
The announcement follows on from a memorandum of understanding signed between all the parties and will mark the second time that Thailand has been entrusted to host the most significant global economic and financial conferences. The county last played host to the meetings in 1991.
More than 12,000 attendees, including finance ministers and central bank governors from 190 member countries, are expected to participate in the 2026 conferences. Various working committees from both the public and private sectors have been tasked with ensuring preparedness across all dimensions.
Chayawadee noted that the conferences present an opportunity for Thailand to serve as a platform for exchanging economic and financial perspectives, policy experiences, and discussing crucial challenges facing the global economy. They will also act as a channel for collaborative efforts in financial and fiscal policies to nurture growth and stability for diverse country groups.
For Thailand, apart from enhancing its role on the global economic and financial stage, the meeting will support economic activities, particularly in promoting its strengths in tourism and attracting new groups of tourists, both during and after the conference. It's also an opportunity for Thailand to showcase its potential and readiness to host global conferences while presenting its unique identity through arts, culture, and cuisine to a global audience. All of this will contribute to trade, investment, and tourism benefits for the country in the short and long term.
To mark this special occasion, the Finance Ministry and the BOT are inviting students, individuals, and members of the public, to participate in a competition to design symbols and graphics for use in promotional materials and venue decorations for the conference. These designs should embody the Thai identity and contemporary ideas, reflecting leadership and international cooperation. Submissions are open from today until January 14, 2024. Further details can be found on the websites and social media channels of the Finance Ministry and the BOT.
Both the ministry and the bank expressed the hope that Thais would be gracious hosts in welcoming conference leaders in finance, prominent business executives, major investors, and global media from around the world. This would help create a lasting positive impression on foreign visitors and entice them to return to Thailand.
