IMF Praises Thailand as Gold Medal Host for 2026 Summit
IMF praised Thailand for winning the 'gold medal' in the financial Olympics and lauded it as a model host for the IMF‑World Bank 2026 meetings. Deputy Prime Minister Ekanit Nitithammaphas and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva highlighted Thailand’s hospitality, AI readiness, and efforts to combat digital financial threats during the press conference. The IMF also projected global growth of 3.1% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027, with Thailand’s economy expected to expand 2.1% annually.
The deputy prime minister and finance minister, along with Kristalina Georgieva, outlined the achievements of the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank governing bodies for 2026, which Thailand hosted amid overwhelming success.
‘Thank you to all sectors, Thais and foreigners numbering in the thousands, and to every Thai citizen who worked together to drive this success, resulting in the IMF and World Bank praising the event as raising the standard of international conferences to the utmost level and reflecting Thailand’s excellent image as a host, bringing the country back into global focus and creating another impression on the world stage,’ Ekanit said.
Kristalina expressed her delight, describing the event as the ‘Olympics of finance’ and saying Thailand had won the gold medal. She noted that what impressed her most was the Thai people’s generosity, their smiles, the delicious Thai cuisine, and the elegance of Thai silk, which she chose to wear throughout the meetings to pay homage to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
‘Looking ahead to the next decade, I see Thailand as a highly dynamic country that is adapting quickly and connecting to the AI value chain,’ Kristalina added.
The IMF’s assessment of the global economy said the world economy remains resilient, projecting growth of 3.1 percent in 2026 and 3.4 percent in 2027, driven by AI investment, while Thailand’s economy is forecast to grow 2.1 percent in both years. However, it warned that vigilance is still needed over geopolitical conflicts, high public debt, and cyber threats.
The IMF urged all countries to strengthen fiscal positions through the ‘Get your house in order’ approach and to prepare for AI adoption.
Regarding the Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) key contributions during the meeting, the BOT, together with the IMF and World Bank, launched the global principle ‘Bangkok Blueprint for Fraud‑Resilient Financial Services’ along with a companion document, ‘Bangkok Blueprint in Action’, to provide a comprehensive framework for defending against digital financial threats.
At the same time, the BOT collaborated with the G30 to promote a responsible innovation framework that balances financial innovation with system stability, and held bilateral talks with more than 18 global central bank and financial institution executives to strengthen future financial cooperation.
In closing, Kristalina offered a thought to Thais about AI: whether one likes it or worries about it, AI is now part of the world, so we should learn and adapt to use it to improve quality of life and society. The press conference ended with a shared sense of joy and satisfaction among all parties.
