Thailand Moves Closer to OECD Membership

Thailand Moves Closer to OECD Membership

Thailand's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sarun Charoensuwan, met with OECD Director for Legal Affairs and Accession Coordinator Gita Kothari on 2 October 2026 at OECD Headquarters in Paris. The talks focused on advancing Thailand's accession roadmap, technical reviews, and capacity-building efforts.

Highlights from the meeting:
■ Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to using the OECD framework to modernize regulations, align public policies with global standards, and drive structural reforms.

■ OECD officials commended Thailand's rapid progress compared with other applicant countries.

■ Preparations were finalized for OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann's official visits to Thailand in October and November 2026.

Guided by the OECD principle of "Better policies for better lives," Thailand aims to boost its global competitiveness, strengthen governance, and solidify its position as a transparent trade and investment hub in Southeast Asia.

The Vice Minister also emphasized that structural reform is vital for long-term growth. The Royal Thai Government will keep an open dialogue with all stakeholders and introduce targeted measures to support vulnerable sectors throughout the transition.

 The goal: full OECD accession by 2028, building on more than two decades of partnership, including two phases of the OECD-Thailand Country Programme since 2018.

Thailand is ready to deliver.

Source: PR Thai Government