Thai PM Opens IMF-World Bank Summit Calls Thailand Global Connector
At the IMF-World Bank annual meeting in Bangkok, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul positioned Thailand as a global connector linking markets, capital, and technology to public opportunity. He highlighted historical ties from Ayutthaya to the present, urging international cooperation to address climate change, technological shifts, and geopolitical divisions. Anutin called on partner institutions to turn dialogue into concrete actions that deliver inclusive economic benefits.
Anutin opened the IMF-World Bank forum, promoting Thailand as a 'global connector' amid geopolitical division, emphasizing readiness to link markets, capital, and technology to public opportunity. On October 16, 2026 at 09:15 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul inaugurated the annual IMF-World Bank Group 2026 meeting, highlighting Thailand’s role as a 'connector' in a rapidly changing world. He said Thailand has long been a meeting point for people, culture, and ideas, tracing back to Ayutthaya, which once served as an international trade and diplomatic hub linking East and West. 'Siam prospered not by isolation but by openness and engagement with the world; that spirit remains a cornerstone of Thailand today,' the prime minister stated. Anutin compared the world of 1991, when Thailand previously hosted the meeting, with today, noting that fax machines once symbolized speed while AI now transforms economic systems and shifting geopolitics alters global trade and investment structures. He warned that the world still faces challenges from intensifying climate change, risks no single nation can tackle alone, requiring cooperation, trust, free trade, technology access, financing, and partnerships that foster mutual learning. For Thailand, the answer lies in its familiar role as a connector—linking regional markets, channeling capital to opportunity, and marrying technology with human potential—using ASEAN mechanisms to extend cooperation globally. 'The conference will end, but the legacy of cooperation will endure,' he said, posing the question of what legacy this Bangkok gathering should leave the world, stressing that all connections must reach the people, driving business growth, skills development, and improved livelihoods. Anutin urged the IMF, World Bank Group, and partner nations to turn discussions into tangible cooperation and convert financing into opportunity, ensuring decisions made in Bangkok lead to a stronger economy and better prospects for the public. In closing, he recalled that centuries ago Ayutthaya linked Thailand to the world, and today Bangkok can serve to connect nations toward a shared goal: an open, resilient global economy that benefits all.
