BANGKOK, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Thailand said on Tuesday that the country is fully prepared to host the upcoming 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
As one of the world's largest economic gatherings, over 15,000 delegates, including policymakers, economists, government officials, business leaders, and journalists from worldwide, are expected to attend the conference set for Oct. 12 to 18 in Bangkok.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said preparations have been organized under three subcommittees overseeing substantive content, protocol and operations, and security, with IMF and World Bank delegations conducting a final on-site readiness review earlier this month.
Speaking at a press conference, Ekniti emphasized that the event brings tangible benefits to the Southeast Asian country, including an economic boost, a stronger international image and credibility, and greater visibility for local communities on the world stage.
He noted that Thailand's policy contribution will focus on four pillars: digital and artificial intelligence transformation, resilience in a fragmented world, financial architecture for climate adaptation, and demographic change and the longevity economy.
Bank of Thailand Governor Vitai Ratanakorn said the central bank will use the meetings to present its concept of "Safe and Inclusive Digital Finance," building on Thailand's experience with PromptPay and cross-border QR payments.
Vitai said the central bank will also unveil a policy framework called the "Bangkok Blueprint," developed jointly with the IMF and World Bank, which he described as a "policy compass" other countries could adapt to strengthen confidence in digital financial systems.
The framework would cover legal and regulatory foundations, fraud detection, cross-border cooperation, and public financial literacy and would be presented as one of the meetings' key deliverables, the governor added. ■