A KPI Poll survey reveals that over half of Thai people have never heard about Thailand's effort to join the OECD, or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, urging the government to urgently revise its communication plans to the public.
On 4 Sep 2026 GMT+7, the King Prajadhipok's Institute released the results of a survey titled “Thailand on the OECD Path: Public Understanding and News Follow-up.” The survey was conducted from 21-24 Aug 2026 GMT+7 among 2,000 respondents aged 18 and over, distributed nationwide by region. Key findings from the survey are summarized as follows:
1. Are you aware that Thailand is in the process of becoming a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)? (Survey conducted by x LineToday)
• 56.0% said they had never heard that Thailand is pursuing OECD membership; 16.0% had heard but were unsure of the progress; 14.5% knew somewhat but did not follow details; 9.3% were aware and followed the developments closely; and 4.2% were unsure or could not recall.
➡ The process of joining the OECD is not widely known despite Thailand being underway. Only about one in ten people follow it continuously, making public communication a major challenge.
2. More than half correctly understand the OECD’s role, but one in five remain unsure—Eastern region has the highest correct understanding, while misunderstandings vary by area.
• Among those who have heard of the OECD before, 55.2% correctly identified it as an international organization that compiles data and policy recommendations.
• Following that, 20.6% did not know or were unsure; 14.5% thought it was a free trade zone reducing tariffs among members; 5.7% believed it to be a financial institution lending to countries; and 4.0% considered it a security or military organization.
• By region: Eastern region (61.7%) had the highest correct understanding of the OECD’s role, followed by Northeast (59.0%), South (55.3%), North (53.2%), Bangkok (52.2%), and Central region (47.2%).
• Regarding misunderstandings, the South most commonly thought the OECD was a free trade zone (25.9%), while the Central region most often believed it was a financial lending institution (17.2%). The highest rate of ‘don’t know/unsure’ was in the Northeast at 27.9%.
Although more than half of those familiar with the OECD correctly understand its role, nearly half (44.8%) remain unsure or mistake it for another type of organization. This shows that name recognition does not guarantee clear understanding. Moreover, misunderstandings vary across regions. Communication should clearly explain what the OECD “is” and “is not” in simple language, tailoring messages to local understanding.
Summary from the 36th KPI Poll
The survey reflects that although Thailand is progressing toward OECD membership, public awareness remains limited. Even among those familiar with the OECD, many do not clearly understand its role and may confuse it with free trade zones, international financial institutions, or other organizations. Regional differences also show that knowledge gaps vary across the country.
The key challenge is not only to publicize Thailand's OECD membership progress but to help people understand what the OECD is, its role, why Thailand wants to join, and how it relates directly to their daily lives. Communication should be simple, relatable, and provide regular updates to move people from “just having heard the name” to “meaningful understanding and engagement.”