On December 9, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a workshop on the OECD membership process during the technical review phase. Gita Kothari, OECD Accession Coordinator and Deputy Director, Directorate for Legal Affairs served as the main speaker to prepare Thai agencies responsible for technical reviews with OECD Directorates. The event was attended by Mr. Saran Charoensuwan, Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Rujikorn Saengchantr, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, along with representatives from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the Office of the Council of State, and other relevant Thai agencies at the Narathip Meeting Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gita Kothari congratulated Thailand on successfully submitting the Initial Memorandum on December 8, 2025, and reaffirmed commitment to supporting Thailand throughout the membership process. The benefits Thailand will gain from this process include enhanced investment opportunities and business efficiency, diverse and constructive policy dialogues, and policy and regulatory reforms capable of effectively addressing global challenges. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of interaction between Thai agencies and OECD Directorates, as well as the participation of all sectors – government, private sector, public, civil society, labor unions, and legislature – through OECD’s stakeholder engagement mechanisms to ensure an inclusive accession process and support Thailand’s swift achievement of OECD membership. She emphasized that OECD does not have the authority to dictate Thailand’s actions, but rather seeks to find the best methods to provide recommendations most suitable for Thailand’s context in elevating standards to international levels.
Gita Kothari and the OECD Legal Directorate representatives provided an overview of the membership process following the Initial Memorandum submission. The OECD Secretariat will review the Initial Memorandum to design a Mini Roadmap for technical reviews by 25 OECD committees that will assess Thailand’s membership. Once Thai agencies receive this roadmap, they can effectively follow OECD guidelines during the technical review phase and request specific support from OECD and its member countries. Thailand may also prioritize areas for technical review that align with government urgent policies or are already close to OECD standards to expedite the process. Additionally, Thai agencies exchanged views with OECD regarding the initiation of technical reviews, using information from the gap analysis conducted during the Initial Memorandum phase. OECD noted that this information is a self-assessment that requires OECD review before finalizing the Mini Roadmap, emphasizing that technical reviews should proceed collaboratively between Thai agencies and OECD with ongoing consultation for mutual understanding and efficiency. Meanwhile, Thai agencies may conduct awareness-raising activities to prepare all sectors for the technical review phase, during which OECD Directorates will visit Thailand to engage with government agencies and relevant stakeholders, ensuring aligned understanding and driving Thailand’s OECD membership before 2030.
News: International Strategy and Cooperation Division
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
December 11, 2025