On 17 April 2026, Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, in her capacity as Thailand’s Accession Coordinator for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), attended the “OECD Accession Support Coordination for Thailand” meeting, organized by the OECD Secretariat, via videoconference. In attendance were representatives from 26 OECD Member Countries, with Ms. Gita Kothari, Director for Legal Affairs and OECD Accession Coordinator, and Mr. Karim Dahou, Deputy Director for OECD Global Relations and Cooperation, delivering the opening remarks.

The Director-General reaffirmed Thailand’s political commitment to achieving OECD membership by 2028, as outlined in the Prime Minister’s policy statement delivered at the Thai Parliament on 9 April 2026. Currently, Thailand is undergoing a technical review by 25 OECD Committees that cover multiple areas of work that are in line with Thailand’s domestic priorities and reform agenda. The Director-General also highlighted six priority areas for capacity-building cooperation, namely (1) anti-bribery, (2) investment policy, including Responsible Business Conduct (RBC), (3) human capital development and education, (4) green transition, (5) AI and digital transformation, and (6) social inclusion. OECD Member Countries, including Australia, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom, Nordic countries, and Canada, in collaboration with the OECD Secretariat, expressed readiness to support and pursue concrete cooperation projects with Thailand.

Convened for the first time for Thailand, this meeting provided an opportunity for Thailand to present progress in its OECD accession process as well as areas where further capacity-building is required to support the alignment of Thailand’s laws, policies and practices with OECD standards. Thailand has maintained its formal engagement with the OECD since 2008 and further strengthened capacity-building cooperation through the Thailand–OECD Country Programme since 2018. Thailand’s accession to the OECD will help enhance its competitiveness, improve the business environment, and strengthen overall confidence in the country.