On October 16, 2026, Mr. Theeraj Athanavanich, Chairperson of the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), Mr. Kirati Veruwan, Vice President of NEDA, and their delegation attended the opening ceremony of the Annual Meetings Plenary. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Thailand, who officially opened the 81st Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group (IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2026). In his remarks, the Prime Minister emphasized Thailand's and ASEAN's readiness to serve as a bridge connecting markets, capital, and technology with human potential, creating opportunities for trade and investment while improving living standards and ensuring that the benefits reach community-level businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The opening ceremony took place in the Plenary Hall at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, as part of the meetings hosted by Thailand from October 12–18, 2026. During the Plenary opening, Mr. Carlos Carvallo Spalding, Chair of the Meetings and Governor of the Central Bank of Paraguay, Mr. Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, and Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), shared their perspectives on global economic trends, emerging challenges, and the future direction of international cooperation, highlighting key developments that businesses and policymakers worldwide should closely monitor.
