Mr. Maitree Sutapakul, Chairman of the Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT), along with Mr. Somchart Sroythong, TCCT Commissioner, and Asst. Prof. Visanu Vongsinsirikul, Ph.D., Secretary-General of TCCT, led TCCT delegates to pursue international cooperation in competition regulation, aiming to raise up the enforcement of Thailand’s competition law to align with global standards.

The Secretary-General revealed that after having signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) on February 4, TCCT  has been proceeding to strengthen its enforcement of competition law by signing another MOU with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on February 12, 2025, in Sydney, Australia.

Furthermore, TCCT and ACCC had high-level discussions and experience-sharing sessions to foster cooperation between the two agencies for seeking to improve policy implementation and competition law enforcement in both countries whilst adhering to relevant laws, regulations, and available resources.

The delegation was warmly welcomed by Mrs. Hataya Khusakul, Consul-General of Thailand in Sydney, along with Ms. Gina Cass-Gottlieb, Chair of the ACCC, Mr. Peter Crone, ACCC Commissioner, and other officials.

The Chairman stated that TCCT and  ACCC had collaborated on capacity building and competition policy development through various regional initiatives, including those under ASEAN, The Asia Foundation (TAF), and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). This newly signed MOU marks a significant bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Australia in competition regulation, which demonstrates both parties’ dedication to tangibly fostering fair competition.

Under this MOU, both agencies will enhance capacity building in competition law enforcement by exchanging best practices, organizing study visits, conducting workshops, and offering short-term training programs.

It also includes developing joint work plans and coordinating enforcement actions in cases where competition law investigations or litigation may have significant cross-border implications.

In addition, this collaboration aims to create a competitive business environment that promotes trade and investment between the two countries, increases market efficiency, and contributes to overall economic growth.