On March 10, 2026, Mr. Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), together with Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, and Dr. Naranphit Pho-phatnachai, representative of the Office of the Council of State (OCS), acting as the joint secretariat of the three agencies, organized a consultative meeting with relevant agencies under the OECD committees responsible for evaluating Thailand’s accession. The meeting aimed to prepare for the Technical Review phase, a critical step in the OECD accession process, and was attended by:Ms. Sasithorn Phulattadej, Deputy Secretary-General of the NESDC, and Ms. Salinee Pholprapai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, along with over 100 executives from 47 relevant public and private sector organizations.
The meeting acknowledged the progress made in driving Thailand’s OECD accession over the past two years since the application was submitted on February 12, 2024. In 2025, Thai agencies conducted a self-assessment to prepare the Initial Memorandum (IM). On December 8, 2025, the Prime Minister submitted the IM to the OECD Deputy Secretary-General, marking a significant milestone. In 2026, Thailand will enter the Technical Review phase, involving intensive collaboration between the OECD Secretariat, Thai agencies, and relevant stakeholders. This process begins with responding to questionnaires and Fact-finding Missions to gather additional information, leading to the preparation of a Background Report for the OECD committees. These committees will then provide recommendations for Thailand to align its domestic laws, policies, and practices with OECD standards. This process may take time and requires cooperation from all sectors to achieve the goal of OECD membership before 2030.
On this occasion, the Secretary-General of the NESDC emphasized the importance of participating in the meetings of approximately 52 OECD committees and working groups responsible for evaluating Thailand’s accession. This is a vital opportunity for Thai agencies to act as active participants, exchanging views and answering inquiries, which reflects Thailand’s commitment to joining the OECD. This includes consultations with the OECD Directorate for Legal Affairs, the primary OECD Accession Coordinator, to exchange views and monitor the overall progress of the accession process. Furthermore, the Secretary-General encouraged Thai agencies to work proactively with the OECD to learn creative work processes, enhance knowledge, and continuously increase interaction with the organization.
Additionally, the meeting discussed guidelines for building cooperation with OECD member countries through capacity-building activities. Thai agencies are encouraged to be proactive and creative in strengthening content readiness and enhancing participation in the evaluation process, ensuring efficient and rapid accession. Regarding systemic support, the OCS is developing a central digital system to support agencies in responding to questionnaires, coordinating, and efficiently storing OECD-related data. This platform is expected to be operational by mid-year, allowing all agencies to work on a unified system and reduce redundancy.
Simultaneously, Thai agencies will begin driving communication and building understanding regarding the role and impact of OECD membership, both at a macro level and in specific contexts. This aims to create awareness across all sectors and prepare for a full transition to OECD membership in the future.
For the next steps, the joint secretariat of the three agencies will fully coordinate and support the technical reviews of Thai agencies. The goal is to complete the Technical Review phase within approximately three years (2026–2028), leading to the achievement of the Thai government’s objective of joining the OECD before 2030 to elevate domestic standards to international levels.
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News: Strategy and International Cooperation Coordination Division
Photo: Chakrapong Sawapapmongkol