ADB pledges disaster resilience support for Thailand, backs ASEAN priorities

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ADB support for Thailand, ASEAN

Highlights

ADB pledges to support Thailand's disaster resilience and mobilize private capital, citing over $3 billion invested since 2022 in clean energy, battery storage, and agribusiness.
ADB commits to mobilizing up to $30 billion for ASEAN priorities by 2030, targeting connectivity, digital and blue economies, sustainability-linked finance, and food security.
Kanda signs a $212 million health sector loan deal with Thailand and a $200 million loan with Uzbekistan for electricity distribution modernization under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework.

Bangkok meeting sets support agenda

As reported by Asian Development Bank, Kanda met Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok and pledged support to strengthen the country’s disaster resilience and advance its regional goals. He says protecting communities from disasters and helping them recover remains a priority, with ADB working alongside Thailand to safeguard economic progress and expand the role of private capital.

Thailand is ADB’s second-largest destination for private sector investment. Since 2022, the bank has driven more than $3 billion of investment into clean energy, battery storage and agribusiness, backing the country’s green transition.

Looking ahead to Thailand’s 2028 ASEAN chairship, Kanda also pledges support for the country’s regional leadership. ADB says it will mobilize up to $30 billion by 2030 for ASEAN priorities and explore cooperation in connectivity, the digital and blue economies, sustainability-linked finance and food security.

Financing deals and regional coordination expand

Kanda’s meeting with the Thai premier is part of a four-day mission to Bangkok during the 2026 World Bank Group-International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings. In his role as 2026 Chair of the MDB Heads Group, he calls on multilateral development banks to mobilize more private capital and respond faster to crises affecting developing economies.

On the sidelines of the meetings, Kanda advances two financing agreements. He exchanges a signed $212 million loan agreement with Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas for the first health sector project between the Thai government and ADB, and signs a $200 million loan with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov to modernize that country’s electricity distribution network.

ADB says the Uzbekistan transaction is its first energy investment under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework with the World Bank. Kanda also meets senior officials from the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund and Agence Française de Développement, alongside ministers, central bank officials, donor representatives and private sector executives including Standard Chartered Group Chair Maria Ramos and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group President and Group Chief Executive Officer Junichi Hanzawa.

In our earlier article on China’s renewed backing for Malaysia’s bid to join BRICS as a full member, we outlined how Kuala Lumpur is positioning itself within shifting regional economic alliances. We also noted Malaysia’s intended bridging role linking China, ASEAN and the Gulf states, including discussions on expanding yuan use in trade that could influence regional currency and settlement arrangements.

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