A Thammasat University academic warns that Thailand's OECD membership goal (target 2028) requires deep structural reforms in rule of law and anti-corruption—not just paperwork. Foreign precedents show 7–10 years of legal overhaul. Thailand faces critical governance gaps: weak rule of law enforcement, inadequate public data disclosure, poor accountability mechanisms, and political interference. Without addressing these core issues, the membership bid risks failure and wasted budgets despite significant spending on consultants and assessments.