Thailand Urged to Champion AI Finance Initiative at 2026 IMF-World Bank Summit

On September 5, Paibhumi Rojnasukul, deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party and former Finance Ministry official, urged Thailand to leverage its position as host of the 2026 IMF-World Bank annual meetings to promote the Bangkok AI Finance Initiative, which applies artificial intelligence to the financial system under an AI-Driven Financial Inclusion framework. He emphasized that Thailand should present a distinctive policy direction at the IMF-World Bank forum, particularly addressing shared challenges faced by developing nations.

Rojnasukul explained that under the broader Financial Inclusion framework, AI and data infrastructure could help financial systems assess the potential and risks of SMEs and unbanked populations, expanding credit access without compromising financial institutions' risk management standards. The core challenge, he noted, is bridging the information gap between financial institutions and borrowers, as people and entrepreneurs in developing countries often have substantial off-the-books economic activity and hidden debt repayment capacity that traditional assessment models fail to capture.

Financial institutions can deploy AI to develop cash flow-based lending and alternative credit scoring models that evaluate repayment ability based on actual economic activity, reducing reliance on credit history, financial statements, and traditional collateral, while integrating with Thailand's emerging virtual banking system. Rojnasukul stressed that AI should not be limited to loan approval but should support the entire credit lifecycle through AI-based early warning systems that monitor cash flows, income volatility, and financial burden to identify risks early and enable debt restructuring before default, thereby expanding credit while preserving loan quality and financial stability.

Rojnasukul added that AI should also connect with credit guarantee mechanisms to determine guarantee ratios, risk-sharing arrangements, and borrowing costs for different groups. At the macroeconomic level, this approach would improve capital allocation efficiency, support productivity, investment and employment, and help the informal economy transition into the formal system. He expressed hope that the Bangkok AI Finance Initiative would develop into data standards, model governance frameworks, and pilot programs, making Thailand's hosting role more meaningful and establishing the country as the starting point for this international cooperation framework.