Anutin-led panel to fast-track Thailand’s OECD bid by 2028

The Cabinet has approved the creation of a national committee chaired by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to steer and accelerate Thailand’s OECD accession process, as the government targets membership by 2028.

Cabinet sets up national OECD committee

Deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said the government was moving seriously ahead with Thailand’s bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

She said the Cabinet, at its meeting on May 19, 2026, approved the establishment of a committee to supervise Thailand’s OECD accession process.

The committee, chaired by Anutin, will set the direction, speed up progress and monitor the work of all agencies to ensure that the accession process moves forward in a unified manner.

Three deputy prime ministers named vice-chairpersons

The committee will have three deputy prime ministers as vice-chairpersons: Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Pakorn Nilprapunt.

It will also include heads of key agencies responsible for the budget, public administration, the economy, foreign affairs and law. They include the director of the Bureau of the Budget, the secretary-general of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, the chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking, the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the secretary-general of the Council of State, and the director-general of the Department of International Economic Affairs.

External experts will also sit on the committee, including Kitti Tangjitmaneesakda, Tawilap Rittapirom, Sarun Charoensuwan and Special Professor Kittipong Kittayarak. They will support work covering the economy, law, governance and international cooperation.

Thailand in technical assessment stage

Rachada said OECD accession was one of the government’s key agendas because it would help upgrade Thailand across several areas, including the economy, law, governance, investment, competitiveness, innovation, the environment and quality of life.

She said aligning Thailand with international standards would strengthen investor confidence and prepare the country to compete more effectively on the global stage.

Thailand is now in the technical assessment stage of the accession process. This requires the country to prepare information, answer questionnaires and assess whether its laws, policies and practices are aligned with OECD standards across multiple fields.

Thai agencies are working with OECD committees and working groups as part of the review.

Government targets membership by 2028

Rachada said the new committee would be responsible for setting policy, proposing guidelines, supervising work, accelerating progress and monitoring implementation in line with the criteria, conditions and plan for OECD membership.

The government aims for Thailand to become an OECD member by 2028. It will speed up key tasks, including legal and regulatory reforms, improvements to data systems and upgrades to public-sector working standards, so they gradually align with OECD recommendations.

“Prime Minister Anutin attaches great importance to this issue as a tool to upgrade the country. It is not merely a symbolic goal, but a reform process that will make the Thai economy more transparent, more competitive and directly beneficial to the people in the long term,” Rachada said.

She added that the government would continue to communicate progress to the public so people could see that Thailand’s path towards the OECD was a concrete effort to elevate the country’s future.

What is the OECD?

The OECD is a global policy forum whose 38 member countries use data, analysis and peer review to improve policy decisions and support economic and social well-being. Its work covers areas including taxation, education, governance, investment, trade, development, anti-corruption, the environment and regulatory standards.

Thailand became an OECD candidate country after the OECD Council decided on June 17, 2024 to invite Thailand to start accession discussions. The Foreign Ministry said the accession process could take many years, but reforms from the early stages could help attract more foreign investment, raise income, improve living standards and increase Thailand’s role in international policy-making.

In December 2025, Thailand submitted its Initial Memorandum, a preliminary self-assessment of how its laws, policies and practices align with OECD standards. The OECD said this launched the technical phase of the accession process, with in-depth dialogue involving 25 expert committees on issues such as investment climate, financial markets and regional development.

Why Thailand wants to join

For Thailand, OECD membership is not only a diplomatic milestone. It is a reform pathway that could help the country upgrade governance, improve regulatory quality, strengthen anti-corruption standards, boost investor confidence and make Thai policy-making more comparable with advanced economies.

The OECD has also described accession as a catalyst for reform, saying the process can help Thailand bring its laws, policies and practices closer to OECD standards and best practices while strengthening the foundations for long-term growth and improved living standards.