The 1978 WBF World Championships took place in November 1978 in Bangkok, Thailand. This event was followed by Invitational Championships which took place in the month of February earlier this year in Hong Kong. It was the first of the two editions of the world championships organised by the WBF, which was a rival organisation of the Badminton World Federation.
| Men's singles |  Yu Yaodong | Han Jian |  Udom Luangpetcharaporn |
| Luan Jin | |||
| Women's singles[1] | Zhang Ailing | Sirisriro Patama | Li Fang |
 Song Hyan-soon | |||
| Men's doubles | Yu Yaodong Hou Jiachang | Sarit Pisudchaikul Sawei Chanseorasmee |  Javed Iqbal Tariq Wadood |
| Pichai Kongsirithavorn Preecha Sopajaree | |||
| Women's doubles | Li Fang Zhang Ailing | Zheng Huiming Qiu Yufang | Sirisriro Patama Suleeporn Jittariyakul |
| Oh Yeon-han Song Hyan-soon | |||
| Mixed doubles | Pichai Kongsirithavorn Petchroong Liengtrakulngam | Preecha Sopajaree Porntip Buntanon | Han Jian Qiu Yufang |
 Fu Hon Ping Lee Kam Wah |
| Discipline | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's singles | Yu Yaodong | Udom Luangpetcharaporn | 15–4, 15–5 |
| Han Jian | Luan Jin | ||
| Women's singles | Sirisriro Patama | Song Hyan-soon | 11–6, 5–11, 11–4 |
| Zhang Ailing | Li Fang | 11–6, 11–8 | |
| Men's doubles | Hou Jiachang & Yu Yaodong | Javed Iqbal & Tariq Wadood | 7–15, 15–8, 15–1 |
| Sawei Chanseorasmee & Sarit Pisudchaikul | Pichai Kongsirithavorn & Preecha Sopajaree | 15–3, 17–15 | |
| Women's doubles | Li Fang & Zhang Ailing | Sirisriro Patama & Suleeporn Jittariyakul | 15–8, 15–9 |
| Zheng Huiming & Qiu Yufang | Oh Yeon-han & Song Hyan-soon | 15–9, 15–5 | |
| Mixed doubles | Pichai Kongsirithavorn & Petchroong Liengtrakulngam | Han Jian & Qiu Yufang | 15–4, 15–6 |
| Preecha Sopajaree & Porntip Buntanon | Fu Hon Ping & Lee Kam Wah | 15–9, 11–15, 15–7 |
| Category | Winners | Runners-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's singles | Yu Yaodong | Han Jian | 15–11, 15–11 | |
| Women's singles | Zhang Ailing | Sirisriro Patama | 11–4, 11–4 | |
| Men's doubles | Yu Yaodong Hou Jiachang | Sarit Pisudchaikul Sawei Chanseorasmee | 18–15, 15–12 | |
| Women's doubles[2] | Li Fang Zhang Ailing | Zheng Huiming Qiu Yufang | 5–15, 15–9, 15–10 | |
| Mixed doubles | Pichai Kongsirithavorn Petchroong Liengtrakulngam | Preecha Sopajaree Porntip Buntanon | 15–4, 1–15, 17–14 |