Yesterday, CPG, with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Thailand and the Asian Governance Foundation, successfully hosted the conference “Thailand’s Path to OECD Membership: Reforms, Challenges, Opportunities” at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. The event brought together 60 selected stakeholders to discuss both the potential and challenges of the transformative process that a potential OECD membership both promises and requires.
The conference began with welcoming remarks from Dr. Axel Neubert, Resident Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Thailand, and Henning Glaser, CPG Director and Executive Director & Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asian Governance Foundation. Henning Glaser then delivered a comprehensive introductory lecture, outlining the opportunities, constraints, and key challenges of Thailand’s bid for OECD membership.
The morning session continued with a panel on “Human Capital Development & Social Inclusion,” featuring:
🔹 Dr. Wannaphong Durongkaveroj, Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Ramkhamhaeng University
🔹 Dr. Thorn Pitidol, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University
🔹 Dr. Saowaruj Rattanakhamfu, Research Director, Innovation Policy for Sustainable Development, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI)
🔹 Dr. Vimut Vanitcharearnthum, Associate Professor (em.), Chulalongkorn Business School, Chulalongkorn University
In the afternoon, discussions shifted to “Policies & Regulatory Frameworks,” led by another expert panel:
🔹 Dr. Nakarin Amarase, Senior Vice President & Head of External Affairs, Siam Commercial Bank
🔹 Mr. Robert “Bob” Fox, Chair, Digital Economy/ICT Committee, Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand
🔹 Mr. Karl-Heinz Heckhausen, Former President & CEO, DaimlerChrysler (Thailand); Former President, German-Thai Chamber of Commerce
🔹 Mr. Narun Popattanachai, Senior Legal Counsel, Office of the Council of State
The final panel of the day focused on “Governance & Compliance,” featuring:
🔹 Mrs. Nadthasiri Bergman, President, Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA)
🔹 Mr. Chris Cracknell, Chairman, Grant Thornton Thailand; Immediate Past Chair, British Chamber of Commerce Thailand
🔹 Mr. Tippatrai Saelawong, Senior Researcher, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI)
🔹 Mr. Sahachai Wibuloutai, Member of the Leadership Council, APCCA; Founder & President, Thai Corporate Counsel Alliance (THAI-CCA)
We would like to thank all participants and distinguished speakers, especially CPG Senior Fellow and AGF Advisory Board Member H.E. Kasit Piromya, former Foreign Minister of Thailand, as well as former ambassadors and CPG Senior Research Fellows H.E. Dr. Warawit Kanithasen and H.E. Tomwit Jarnson.
More details about the event: https://cpg-online.de/cpg-event/thailands-path-to-oecd-membership/