On 30 - 31 March 2026, H.E. Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Ms. Gita Kothari, Director for Legal Affairs and OECD Accession Coordinator, on the occasion of her visit to Thailand in support of Thailand’s OECD accession process.

On 30 March 2026, the Secretary to the Foreign Minister had a meeting with Ms. Kothari, which was also attended by members of the Senate led by Mr. Chavaphon Wattanavekin, First Vice-Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Panya Udchachon, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok’s Institute. Afterwards, the Secretary to the Foreign Minister participated in the “Workshop on OECD Technical Review for Thailand’s Line Agencies” at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where Mr. Chettaphan Maksamphan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, delivered the opening remarks and Ms. Kothari presented the relevant information to over 80 representatives from 36 Thai agencies. In addition, the Secretary to the Foreign Minister also attended a meeting between Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, and Ms. Kothari, as well as representatives from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) and the Office of Council of State (OCS). These agencies, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, serve as the three key coordinating agencies for Thailand’s OECD accession process.

On the same day, Ms. Prangthip Chansomsak, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, together with Ms. Kothari, jointly delivered the opening remarks for the “Second Co-Creation Workshop with Southeast Asia Countries on the OECD AI Policy Toolkit,” which was aimed to promote cooperation on AI governance and development between the OECD and Southeast Asia, at the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Thailand. H.E. Mr. Masato Otaka, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, and Mr. David Thomas, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Thailand, also delivered remarks.

During this visit, Ms. Kothari engaged inclusively with various relevant stakeholders. On 31 March 2026, she held discussions with representatives of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) and Thai labor unions. Ms. Kothari also delivered a lecture on “The OECD and Benefits of Thailand’s Accession” to students and the interested public at the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, which was presided over by Professor Dr. Wilert Puriwat, President of Chulalongkorn University.

Thailand’s accession to the OECD is a national priority. In the current phase of OECD’s Technical Review, Thailand is undergoing technical assessments by 25 OECD committees, which entails the alignment of its laws, policies, and practices with OECD standards. These efforts are expected to enhance the country’s competitiveness, foster a more enabling business environment, and strengthen overall confidence in Thailand. In this regard, Thailand aims to become an OECD member by 2028.