BANGKOK, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group kicked off here on Monday, with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul urging world financial leaders to anchor economic progress in community resilience and human well-being.
The week-long global summit, running through Oct. 18 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, has drawn more than 15,000 delegates from over 190 nations and regions, including international finance ministers, central bankers, private sector leaders, and economists.
Addressing an audience at the opening of the "Thailand Pavilion," which included IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, Anutin stressed that national development must look past gross domestic product metrics to prioritize social safety nets and environmental sustainability.
Anutin noted that real progress must be evaluated by how local communities thrive, how ecosystems are preserved, and how effectively everyday citizens weather economic uncertainty.
He cited Thailand's "Sufficiency Economy" philosophy, which is grounded in moderation, prudent risk management, and reasonableness, as a viable template for balanced and equitable growth amid global volatility.
Deputy Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas outlined the philosophy's real-world impact across Thailand, highlighting initiatives such as shifting agrarian communities in the northern highlands from illicit opium production to profitable, sustainable specialty coffee farming. ■
