The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) was established as a public policy research institute in 1984. Its legal form is that of a private non-profit foundation. It provides technical analysis (mostly but not entirely in economic areas) to various public agencies to help formulate policies to support long-term economic and social development in Thailand.

In line with this central objective, it is mandated to:

• Conduct policy research;
• Network extensively with other institutions and individuals engaged in policy research, both in Thailand and abroad; and
• Disseminate its research results to ensure maximum impact on policy-making