WB chief visits Thailand

WB chief visits Thailand

BANGKOK (Reuters): World Bank President James Wolfensohn will visit Thailand from Jan 30-Feb 1 to meet senior Thai officials on the latest developments in the crisis-hit country, a bank official said yesterday.

He will meet Finance Minister Tarrin Nimmanahaeminda on Friday and hold a joint news conference with the minister on Saturday, the official said.

The World Bank is a contributor to a $17.2 billion bail-out package that was given by the International Monetary Fund to Thailand last August.

An IMF review of the package's terms for Thailand is to take place between Feb 2-14. Wolfensohn will fly to Singapore on Sunday, the Thai bank official said.

He will travel to Indonesia on the evening of February 3 and leave Jakarta for Manila on February 5, where he will stay until Feb 6, the bank said in statements released earlier in the day.