The International Finance Corporation (IFC) just put money into Thailand’s first-ever blue bond from East Water, the biggest private water company in the Eastern Economic Corridor. East Water sold 620 million Thai baht worth of bonds on August 18, according to the latest release. It’s the first time East Water has issued this type of bond, and it’s IFC’s first blue financing deal in Asia Pacific infrastructure. The money will help East Water keep up its massive 553-kilometer water pipeline system. This fits right into Thailand’s plan to become a wealthy country by 2036.
The Eastern Economic Corridor is where Thailand wants to build its economic future. Right now, 27 industrial parks call this region home. The government expects these areas to bring in 200,000 new jobs and house 350,000 people by 2032. Without solid water infrastructure, none of this growth can happen. The region plays a big part in Thailand’s push to reach high-income status.
East Water will use the bond money to maintain its huge network that connects reservoirs, rivers, and private water sources across the region. The company supplies clean drinking water and industrial water to factories and homes throughout the area. “Water is not only essential to life, it’s also a powerful engine for economic growth,” Jane Yuan Xu from IFC Thailand explained. East Water’s boss Bordin Udol says the bond shows how serious his company is about better water supply. He wants to make sure the whole region has enough water when it needs it.
This deal matches IFC’s bigger push into blue economy projects that started in 2022. East Water already works with IFC’s climate program that helps water companies in developing countries get ready for climate change. The World Bank Group talks regularly with Thailand’s finance ministry about water problems. Katherine Koh, who runs infrastructure projects for IFC in Asia, thinks this partnership will really help Thailand handle water challenges better.
The timing makes sense as Thailand gets ready for some big international events. The country will host major World Bank and IMF meetings in October 2026. These gatherings will show off Thailand’s work in sustainable water management and ocean protection. The East Water deal proves that companies and governments can work together on important infrastructure. It also puts Thailand on the map as a leader in water security solutions.
