On 8 December 2025, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul submitted the Initial Memorandum (IM) to Mr. František Ružička, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), during his visit to Thailand. The visit included a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, meetings with senior Thai officials, and the handover of the IM, a document for assessing Thailand’s readiness to align its laws, policies, and practices with OECD standards and legal instruments. The event at the Government House was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Borwornsak Uwanno, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Minister of Commerce Suphajee Suthumpun, and heads of relevant government agencies, including the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the Office of the Council of State (OCS), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), along with officials from Thailand and the OECD.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed Thailand’s strong commitment to becoming a member of the OECD. He emphasised that accession would enhance Thailand’s standards and international credibility, expand economic opportunities, and open new markets for the country. He also noted that OECD membership would strengthen good governance and anti-corruption efforts, which are the priorities of the Thai Government.
Meanwhile, the OECD Deputy Secretary-General congratulated Thailand on the successful submission of its IM, marking a significant milestone in Thailand’s accession process. He further commended Thailand as the first country to utilise artificial intelligence (AI) in the preparation of the IM by using AI to match Thai legislation with OECD legal instruments. This innovation helps facilitate the work of relevant agencies and accelerates the accession process. He also noted that Thailand could share these experiences and best practices with other countries. Futhermore, the OECD Deputy Secretary-General reaffirmed the OECD’s commitment to working closely with Thailand throughout the accession process. As the next step, Thailand will conduct Technical Review with 25 OECD committees, through which Thailand will receive recommendations from OECD to align its laws, policies, and practices with OECD standards and legal instruments.
In addition to the IM, the Prime Minister witnessed the submission of the Letter of Intent to initiate the process of becoming a Party to the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (OECD Anti-Bribery Convention) by the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The Convention is a key OECD legal instrument to which Thailand is required to accede prior to becoming an OECD Member. Furthermore, Thailand, through the Ministry of Justice and the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), proposed to host the OECD Global Roundtable on Equal Access to Justice in 2027, which the OECD Deputy Secretary-General welcomed and indicated would be further discussed with the relevant parties.
On the same day, the OECD Deputy Secretary-General also visited Parliament to deliver a special lecture entitled ‘Reform and Legislative Adoption Journey to OECD Membership,’ organised by the King Prajadhipok’s Institute and the International Studies Center (ISC). The event was welcomed by General Kriangkrai Srirak, First Vice-President of the Senate; Mr. Bunsong Noisophon, Second Vice-President of the Senate; Mr. Nirat Yoopakdee, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Associate Professor Dr. Issara Sereewatthanawut, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok’s Institute.
Both sides underscored the critical role of the legislative branch in accession process, particularly as a key mechanism for reviewing and amending domestic laws and regulations to ensure alignment with OECD legal instruments. Since 2024, when Thailand was invited to begin membership discussions with OECD, the legislative branch has recognised the importance of OECD membership and the responsibilities to be undertaken jointly with the executive branch to ensure seamless coordination. In this regard, the Advisory Council on Thailand’s Accession to the OECD of the Parliament of Thailand has been established as a permanent parliamentary mechanism to engage with relevant stakeholders, provide policy direction, strengthen international cooperation, and communicate with public on the understanding of OECD standards.
Meanwhile, the OECD Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the successful cooperation between Thailand and the OECD through various initiatives, including the OECD–Thailand Country Programme and Thailand’s participation in the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme. These frameworks have enabled Thailand to receive OECD recommendations on improving standards related to Thai laws and regulations in key areas such as competition, legal development, anti-corruption, public sector transparency and accountability, skills development, and corporate governance of state-owned enterprises.
Moreover, the OECD Deputy Secretary-General held discussions with representatives from various sectors, including: (1) representatives of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB), during which he underscored that the accession process would create business opportunities and help raise standards related to business operations, such as education, labour, and skills development and reskilling in response to rapid technological change. He noted that the private sector would need to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability alongside these reforms. Thai private sector representatives reaffirmed their readiness to cooperate with and support the Thai Government throughout the accession process. They also proposed the assessment of potential on the private sector arising from the alignment of domestic standards with those of the OECD, in order to build confidence and enable effective preparation for upcoming reforms. (2) representatives of the National Congress Private Industrial of Employees and the Thai Trade Union Congress, who raised labour-related issues requiring urgent attention, including labour standards, labour rights, and the establishment of trade unions at both national and transnational levels. They also called for Thailand to receive support in proceeding with the ratification of ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise and ILO Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, with the aim of ensuring that Thailand’s labour standards are fair and aligned with international norms.
As for 2026, Thailand will enter the Technical Review with the OECD, during which the country will receive recommendations to improve its laws, policies, and practices in line with OECD standards. This phase will require close cooperation and broad participation from all sectors in the country to achieve Thailand’s goal of becoming OECD member before 2030, in pursuit of the OECD principle of ‘Better Policies for Better Lives.’
TH2OECD Website
News: International Strategy and Coordination DivisionPhotos: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
