Thailand
Thailand is an example to be followed by other States, as it has adhered to all of the seven key treaties in the legal architecture on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in addition to being party to a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) treaty.
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | Yes (Ratified 2017) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1972) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2018) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1997, Bangkok) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1974) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2017) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1975) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2002) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Possess or stockpile | Compliant | |
| Test | Compliant | |
| (b) | Transfer | Compliant |
| (c) | Receive transfer or control | Compliant |
| (d) | Use | Compliant |
| Threaten to use | Compliant | |
| (e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compliant |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compliant |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compliant |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Voted yes (2025) |
| Participated in 3MSP (2025) | Yes |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 9 (52%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Voted yes |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear facilities | Yes |
| Fissile material production | No |
| HEU stocks | Cleared |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
| SQP with the IAEA | No |
Latest developments
At the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025, Thailand described the Treaty as ‘a resounding rejection of nuclear weapons and a testament to the power of collective action’, and noted that its Meetings of States Parties had ‘laid a solid foundation’. ‘But this foundation is just the beginning,’ it said. ‘As we look ahead to the First Review Conference, much remains to be done.’ In particular, it highlighted the need for renewed efforts on universalization.1
Thailand was re-appointed as an informal co-facilitator, along with Ireland, on the question of complementarity. The co-facilitators are responsible for further exploring and articulating possible areas of tangible cooperation between the TPNW and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), along with other relevant nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation instruments.
In the Conference on Disarmament in February 2025, Thailand said: ‘Working towards the elimination of nuclear weapons demands practical steps and effective measures; the [TPNW] has proved to be an essential tool in that regard.’2
At the NPT Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, Thailand said that ‘complementary instruments [such as the TPNW] must be strengthened and universalized’, and it welcomed ‘the positive momentum of the TPNW, reflecting [the] global call for disarmament progress’.3
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, Thailand said: ‘Amidst today’s fragile geopolitical landscape, the pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons is not just a shared aspiration, but an urgent security imperative.’ It reiterated its call for all States that have not yet done so to join the TPNW.4
Thailand co-sponsored the 2025 UN General Assembly resolution on the TPNW, which welcomed the Treaty’s entry into force and called upon ‘all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve, or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date’.5
Recommendations
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Thailand should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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Thailand should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.