Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The 2025 OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum took place in Bangkok, Thailand, and was co-hosted by OECD Secretary-General, Matthias Cormann, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Maris Sangiampongsa.
For over 25 years, the OECD and Southeast Asia had engaged in policy dialogues on areas of shared interest.
The 2025 Southeast Asia Regional Forum:
- Heard from OECD accession candidates Thailand and Indonesia on their rationale for seeking OECD membership and how they saw the OECD contributing to their economic prosperity
- Highlighted additional ways for Southeast Asia to engage more deeply with the OECD through its Committees, legal instruments and global relations tools
- Listened to Southeast Asian countries, businesses and institutions on priority areas and modalities of cooperation
- Gave a platform to OECD and Southeast Asian business bodies to fully integrate private sector views into the discussion
- Considered the current and future role of the OECD in the economically vibrant Indo-Pacific region and its complex network of international economic institutions.
Find out more about this forum: oecd.org/en/events/2025/05/-2025-oecd-southeast-asia-regional-forum.html
3:40 - Opening Remarks
5:50 - Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
13:22 - Mathias Cormann, Secretary - General, OECD
20:30 - Minh Hang Nguyen, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viet Nam
26:29 - Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
32:17 - Jun Shimmi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OECD, Japan
Business Priorities for OECD-Southeast Asia Economic Cooperation
45:14 - Phil O’Reilly, Co-chair, Southeast Asia Business Network
50:03 - Session 1: OECD membership – the journey and the destination
51:30 - Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
53:38 - Gita Kothari, Deputy Director for Legal Affairs and Accession Coordinator, OECD
1:00:31 -Tirta Nugruha Mursitama, Deputy Minister Ministry of Investment and Downstream Industry, Indonesia
1:06:37 - Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thailand
1:12:11 - Andreas Schaal, Director & Sherpa for the G7, G20 and APEC, Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate, OECD
1:38:45 - Questions
2:05:50 - Break
3:12:50 - Session 2: Closer together – the OECD’s global relations toolbox
3:14:23 - Alexander Böhmer, Head of South and Southeast Asia, Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate, OECD
3:17:39 - Minh Hang Nguyen, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viet Nam
3:27:15 - Thuttai Keeratipongpaiboon Director, International Strategy and Coordination Division Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Thailand
3:35:20 - Joseph Capuno, Undersecretary Department of Economy, Planning and Development, Philippines
3:42:01 - Ahmad Zafarullah Abdul Jalil, Director, ASEAN Secretariat
3:51:10 - Questions
3:59:11 - Session 3: Working with OECD Committees and policy tools
4:03:29 - Ana Novik, Head of Investment Division, OECD
4:12:50 - Massimo Geloso Grosso, Head of Jakarta Office, OECD
4:19:15 - Tan Weiming, Acting Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
4:27:26 - Narun Popattanachai, Director of Regulatory Impact Assessment and Evaluation of Law, Office of the Council of State, Thailand
4:33:24 - Questions
4:39:35 - Break
4:49:46 - Session 4: The OECD and high-quality investment – a public-private dialogue
4:50:51 - Ana Novik, Head of Investment Division, OECD
5:00:40 - Rifki Weno Executive Director ASEAN Business Advisory Council
5:07:04 - Whitney Baird, President and CEOUS Council for International Business
5:10:16 - Tetsuya Watanabe, President Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia
5:13:56 - Werapong Prapha Thailand Trade Representative Thailand
5:21:12 - Questions
5:38:18 - Break
6:06:32 - Session 5: Closing plenary - a partnership for prosperity
6:07:13 - Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
6:09:50 - Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Foreign Minister People’s Democratic Republic of Laos
6:17:25 - Jens Arnold, Head of Division, Economics Department, OECD
Final interventions
6:25:15 Korea
6:30:30 Costa Rica
6:33:15 Singapore
6:36:12 Sum up, next steps and close
The OECD has engaged in policy dialogue and mutual learning with Southeast Asia for over 25 years on policy areas including investment, taxation, education, digitalisation and innovation, among others. Learn more: oecd.org/en/about/programmes/southeast-asia-regional-programme.html
#OECDSEA #oecd #indonesia #thailand #globalrelations #business #economy #policies
The 2025 OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum took place in Bangkok, Thailand, and was co-hosted by OECD Secretary-General, Matthias Cormann, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Maris Sangiampongsa.
For over 25 years, the OECD and Southeast Asia had engaged in policy dialogues on areas of shared interest.
The 2025 Southeast Asia Regional Forum:
- Heard from OECD accession candidates Thailand and Indonesia on their rationale for seeking OECD membership and how they saw the OECD contributing to their economic prosperity
- Highlighted additional ways for Southeast Asia to engage more deeply with the OECD through its Committees, legal instruments and global relations tools
- Listened to Southeast Asian countries, businesses and institutions on priority areas and modalities of cooperation
- Gave a platform to OECD and Southeast Asian business bodies to fully integrate private sector views into the discussion
- Considered the current and future role of the OECD in the economically vibrant Indo-Pacific region and its complex network of international economic institutions.
Find out more about this forum: oecd.org/en/events/2025/05/-2025-oecd-southeast-asia-regional-forum.html
3:40 - Opening Remarks
5:50 - Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand
13:22 - Mathias Cormann, Secretary - General, OECD
20:30 - Minh Hang Nguyen, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viet Nam
26:29 - Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
32:17 - Jun Shimmi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OECD, Japan
Business Priorities for OECD-Southeast Asia Economic Cooperation
45:14 - Phil O’Reilly, Co-chair, Southeast Asia Business Network
50:03 - Session 1: OECD membership – the journey and the destination
51:30 - Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
53:38 - Gita Kothari, Deputy Director for Legal Affairs and Accession Coordinator, OECD
1:00:31 -Tirta Nugruha Mursitama, Deputy Minister Ministry of Investment and Downstream Industry, Indonesia
1:06:37 - Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thailand
1:12:11 - Andreas Schaal, Director & Sherpa for the G7, G20 and APEC, Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate, OECD
1:38:45 - Questions
2:05:50 - Break
3:12:50 - Session 2: Closer together – the OECD’s global relations toolbox
3:14:23 - Alexander Böhmer, Head of South and Southeast Asia, Global Relations and Cooperation Directorate, OECD
3:17:39 - Minh Hang Nguyen, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viet Nam
3:27:15 - Thuttai Keeratipongpaiboon Director, International Strategy and Coordination Division Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Thailand
3:35:20 - Joseph Capuno, Undersecretary Department of Economy, Planning and Development, Philippines
3:42:01 - Ahmad Zafarullah Abdul Jalil, Director, ASEAN Secretariat
3:51:10 - Questions
3:59:11 - Session 3: Working with OECD Committees and policy tools
4:03:29 - Ana Novik, Head of Investment Division, OECD
4:12:50 - Massimo Geloso Grosso, Head of Jakarta Office, OECD
4:19:15 - Tan Weiming, Acting Director-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore
4:27:26 - Narun Popattanachai, Director of Regulatory Impact Assessment and Evaluation of Law, Office of the Council of State, Thailand
4:33:24 - Questions
4:39:35 - Break
4:49:46 - Session 4: The OECD and high-quality investment – a public-private dialogue
4:50:51 - Ana Novik, Head of Investment Division, OECD
5:00:40 - Rifki Weno Executive Director ASEAN Business Advisory Council
5:07:04 - Whitney Baird, President and CEOUS Council for International Business
5:10:16 - Tetsuya Watanabe, President Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia
5:13:56 - Werapong Prapha Thailand Trade Representative Thailand
5:21:12 - Questions
5:38:18 - Break
6:06:32 - Session 5: Closing plenary - a partnership for prosperity
6:07:13 - Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
6:09:50 - Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Foreign Minister People’s Democratic Republic of Laos
6:17:25 - Jens Arnold, Head of Division, Economics Department, OECD
Final interventions
6:25:15 Korea
6:30:30 Costa Rica
6:33:15 Singapore
6:36:12 Sum up, next steps and close
The OECD has engaged in policy dialogue and mutual learning with Southeast Asia for over 25 years on policy areas including investment, taxation, education, digitalisation and innovation, among others. Learn more: oecd.org/en/about/programmes/southeast-asia-regional-programme.html
#OECDSEA #oecd #indonesia #thailand #globalrelations #business #economy #policies
