On 26 April 2023, Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of Department of International Economic Affairs attended the 11th Steering Group Meeting of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Program (SEARP) at the Organization Economic for Co-operation and Development (OECD) Headquarters in Paris, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation for economic recovery, infrastructure development and sustainable growth in the Southeast Asia region, as well as the preparations for the upcoming OECD-SEARP Ministerial Forum in October 2023, and activities for the 10th Anniversary of the establishment SEARP in 2024.

DG Cherdchai proposed that SEARP focuses on supporting countries in the region to align their standards and regulations with those of the OECD in order to promote sustainable investment and strengthen supply chain. Emphasis should be given to Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards, tax governance, competition policy, innovation as well as Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy, which Thailand, as APEC host economy last year, has played the key role putting on international agenda through the Bangkok Goals on BCG Economy.

On this occasion, DG Cherdchai, together with Mr. Wanchat Suwankitti, Deputy Secretary General of the National Economic and Social Development Council, met with various Directorates of the OECD to strengthen cooperation between Thailand and OECD building on the Country Program Phase II with a view to enhance the competitiveness and sustainable development of the country.