The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a preparatory meeting for the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum to discuss the post-COVID-19 economic recovery, and launch the “OECD Investment Policy Reviews: Thailand” Report on Thailand’s investment policy and concrete recommendations to improve investment climate and increase national competitiveness.

On 24 February 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a preparatory meeting for the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum and launched the “OECD Investment Policy Reviews: Thailand” Report at Bangkok Marriott Hotel Surawongse.

In the morning, Mr. Cherdchai Chaivaivid, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Affairs, chaired the preparatory meeting for the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum, which will be hosted by Thailand in May 2021 under the theme "Human Capital Development for Post-COVID-19 Recovery." Representatives from the private and government sectors stressed the importance of upskilling and reskilling, expediting digital inclusion, leveraging education technology (EdTech), supporting startups, promoting green recovery and advancing Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG). The meeting was attended by over 80 participants from various government agencies and the private sector. Comments and inputs from the meeting will be conveyed to the OECD to draft the agenda for the upcoming OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum.

In the afternoon, Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Deputy Permanent-Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Mr. Masamichi Kono, Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, gave opening remarks at the High-level Launch of the “OECD Investment Policy Reviews: Thailand” (IPR). Started in 2018, the IPR is one of the 16 projects under the Thailand - OECD Country Programme with the aim to assess Thailand’s investment policy and provide concrete recommendations to improve investment climate and increase competitiveness so as to propel Thailand towards a high-income economy by 2037. After the launch, the Ministry also organised a panel discussion, comprising representatives from the government and the private sector, to exchange views on how to take the policy recommendations forward, particularly on investment liberalisation in service sectors, human capital development, and outward foreign direct investment. The full IPR report is published on the OECD website: https://www.oecd ilibrary.org/finance-and-investment/oecd-investment-policy-reviews-thailand-2020_c4eeee1c-en.