Another highlight of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group was Thai Fight, which brought Muay Thai, Thailand’s iconic martial art and a powerful expression of Thai soft power, closer to leaders and participants from more than 191 countries.

Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Thailand, attended the 114th meeting of the Development Committee during the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok. Delivering Thailand’s statement on behalf of the South East Asia Voting Group, he underscored a clear priority: development finance must deliver tangible benefits for people. Beyond mobilising greater investment, it must generate quality jobs, raise living standards, and ensure that local businesses and communities share meaningfully in the gains of economic growth.

How can the global economy achieve strong and resilient growth in a rapidly changing world?

The third day of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, 14 October 2026, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, featured joint dialogues to strengthen international cooperation amid heightened global economic uncertainty. Key engagements included joint discussions among ASEAN, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The day was also marked by the official global launch of the “Bangkok Blueprint” policy framework to counter digital financial fraud, as well as the release of major economic and fiscal policy reports. Key highlights are summarized below: