According to a new World Bank report, "Building Thailand's Future," released at the 2026 Bangkok Business Summit, Thailand has the opportunity to accelerate its transformation into a high-income, innovation-driven economy by increasing productivity and fostering innovation among businesses, people, and regions. The report was released as government and business leaders discussed the next phase of Thailand's economic transformation. It points out that the next phase of development requires productivity growth through technology adoption, innovation, skills upgrading, higher domestic value-added, more competitive businesses, and efficient urban planning. These reforms, working together, will enable Thailand to achieve 5.4% annual GDP growth per capita by 2037, thus entering the ranks of high-income countries. The report also calls for building the cities of the future in Thailand by strengthening secondary cities as drivers of economic growth, thereby creating more jobs in more places. Furthermore, the report recommends making Bangkok more efficient, environmentally friendly, and innovative.
