BANGKOK - Typically a cut-and-dried meeting with a focus on regional economic growth, the Apec Economic Leaders’ Summit happening on Nov 18 and 19 is proving to be a handful. This is as fragile geopolitical relations, spiralling inflation and a troubled domestic front for host Thailand threaten to overshadow commitments to rebuild the regional economy in the post-pandemic era.

Already, Thailand has been walking a diplomatic tightrope as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) chair – it took on the position in November 2021. A trade ministers’ meeting in May failed to issue a customary joint statement after five member economies staged a walkout in protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February.