Bangkok:Dr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, is advocating for the Government Pension Fund (GPF) of Thailand to collaborate with the Bank for Islamic Agriculture (BIA) for long-term investments and to expand into the Islamic finance market.
According to Thai News Agency, discussions between Thailand and Brunei have focused on enhancing cooperation in investment between the GPF and BIA. The aim is to improve food security and advance Islamic finance between the two nations.
During a bilateral meeting held at the IMF and World Bank Group 2026 Annual Meeting in Bangkok, Dr. Ekniti met with Dato Dr. Amin Liew Abdullah, Second Minister of Finance of Brunei Darussalam. The discussions aimed to strengthen relations and expand economic cooperation, leveraging an existing memorandum of understanding signed in 2024 to boost investment opportunities and create long-term financial links between Thailand and Brunei.
Both countries also explored strategies to stabilize trade in agricultural products and food to ensure food security and maintain supply chain continuity amidst global economic challenges. Furthermore, they agreed to promote knowledge transfer and experience sharing in Islamic finance through enhanced cooperation between the Islamic Bank of Thailand (iBank) and Brunei’s financial institutions. This initiative aims to develop human resources and financial products, fostering sustainable economic and investment opportunities for both countries.