On 8 - 11 February 2026, Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, in her capacity as Thailand’s APEC Senior Official, attended the 1st APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (APEC SOM1/2026) and related meetings in Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, to discuss the overall direction of APEC’s work in 2026 under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” focusing on three priorities: Openness. Innovation. Cooperation.

Thailand expressed its support for China’s APEC host year and highlighted key priorities of interest to Thailand, namely (1) combating online scams, with Thailand ready to cooperate within APEC to share experiences and operational information, building on the outcomes of Thailand’s International Conference on the Global Partnership against Online Scams; (2) advancing the Bangkok Goals on the BCG Economy through the APEC BCG Award initiative, which continues to receive support from APEC member economies; (3) promoting digital trade, advancing the FTAAP agenda, and fostering economic inclusion, including Thailand’s policy allowing Myanmar refugees to work legally, which contributes to Thailand’s manufacturing sector and helps address labour shortages; and, (4) enhancing cooperation with partners within and beyond APEC, including through Thailand’s OECD accession process and major international meetings to be hosted by Thailand, such as the ABAC 3/2026 Meeting from 7 - 10 July 2026 in Bangkok and the IMF - World Bank Group Annual Meetings from 12 - 18 October 2026 in Bangkok.

During the Meeting, member economies exchanged views on key priorities for APEC 2026, including support for an open and rules-based multilateral trading system; advancing the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) agenda; promoting connectivity and resilient supply chains; addressing the opportunities and challenges arising from digital transformation and artificial intelligence; and advancing sustainable and inclusive development. China also presented its notional calendar of activities for the year, including the Digital Week Event 2026 and various APEC Sectoral Ministerial Meetings.