On 2 September 2026, Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, jointly delivered opening remarks at the Thailand OECD Masterclass Alumni Reunion, chaired by H.E. Mr. Pablo Kang, Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Australia to Thailand, at the Australian Ambassador’s Residence in Bangkok.

The Director-General reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to achieving membership for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by 2028, underscoring that Thailand seeks to use the accession process as a driver of domestic reform. She highlighted that Thailand’s membership would also strengthen its partnership with Australia and other OECD Members, as well as contribute to high-standard economic integration in Southeast Asia. The Director-General also expressed appreciation to Australia for its continued support for Thailand’s accession process, including through training and capacity-building programmes as well as its support for Thailand’s preparations for the OECD technical review process.

The event was hosted by the Australian Embassy in Thailand to bring together an alumni network of Thai participants who had attended OECD-related courses supported by the Australian Government, with approximately 70 participants attending the event in total. Previously, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had supported the organization of four training courses under the Mekong - Australia Partnership (MAP) for representatives from Thailand’s public, private, and civil society sectors, namely the OECD Accession Masterclass (2025), Regional Masterclass on Applied Macroeconomics (2025), Applied Legal Policy Skills (2026), and the 2nd Advanced Workshop on OECD Accession (2026).

Thailand’s OECD accession is a national priority, with the Royal Thai Government attaching great importance to the participation of all sectors in advancing the process. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays a leading role in engaging proactively with the OECD and its Members to build understanding and support for Thailand’s accession, while promoting capacity-building cooperation for Thai agencies.