Central Chidlom Welcomes Spouses of IMF Delegates from 10 to 20 October 2026

Central Department Store, under Central Retail, together with Central Embassy shopping centre, was officially appointed by the Ministry of Finance to organise a welcome programme for the spouses and accompanying partners of delegates from around the world attending the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group. The event was held in the format of a Spouse & Partner Program under the concept of Thai Heritage, Global Standards on 13 October 2026 at Central Chidlom and Central Embassy, complete with shuttle services from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). In addition, a special campaign offers privileges to meeting participants from 10 to 20 October 2026 to showcase craftsmanship, cuisine and international-standard services in the heart of Bangkok.

Experiencing Craftsmanship and a World-Class Exhibition at Central Chidlom

The invited guests were welcomed by executives at the Personal Shopping Suite on the 1st floor of Central Chidlom with the signature Chidlom Drink and a special gift set reflecting over 79 years of customer care standards. They then visited the good goods store on the 6th floor, which develops handicrafts from communities across the country through contemporary design. All profits from the store are returned to the communities to create sustainable livelihoods and promote Thai Soft Power to an international audience.

The next key highlight was viewing the Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery exhibition on the 2nd floor of Central Chidlom, staged for the first time in Southeast Asia. The exhibition brings together over 600 pieces of jewellery across 8 themed exhibition rooms to convey the inspirations of the influential British fashion designer, ranging from punk culture, DIY craftsmanship and environmental activism to corsets and 18th-century attire. At the same time, each guest was assisted by a personal assistant in the form of Exclusive Personal Shopping to select products from Thai and international brands tailored to their needs.

Savouring Thai Cuisine, Relaxing with Wellness Services and Receiving Privileges at Central Embassy

In the afternoon, the spouses travelled on to Central Embassy, a luxury lifestyle destination, to dine on Thai cuisine and famous street food dishes at Eathai while watching a traditional Thai dance performance by a youth group. Afterwards, they stopped to select quality local ingredients and souvenirs at Tops before concluding with a traditional Thai foot massage at Let's Relax Spa to relieve travel fatigue prior to returning to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC).

Rvisra Chirathivat, Chief Marketing Officer of Central Department Store under Central Retail, stated that the store aims to be a Curated Retail Lifestyle Destination that connects Thai hospitality with experiences from global brands to create an impression that makes visitors want to return to Bangkok again. Furthermore, Central Embassy has organised a special campaign offering privileges to event participants who present either physical or digital proof of registration between 10 and 20 October 2026.

This news provides an interesting model for event organisers looking to design welcome itineraries for international guests by blending Thai culture with international-standard services. Hotel and hospitality professionals can build upon this personalised customer care format when hosting VIP guests, while travellers and conference participants can use the special privileges throughout the period for relaxation and dining in the city centre.