Barkar Nash (Page 1,006)

The Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) has issued an update on the progress of Thailand’s digital government transformation, laying out its aim of digitising services via the mobile app “Tang Rat”.

Supot Tiarawut, director of DGA, said the DGA was making progress in driving a digital government, whether providing services at the Government to Citizens (G2C) level, Government to Business (G2B) or Government to Government (G2G).

For the G2C level, DGA has connected more than 112 government services to serve citizens through the application “Tang Rat”, a mobile app that combines services from all state agencies available for people on digital platforms, he said.

Currently, there are more than 112 services with cumulative usage of over 7.5 million logins and 607,041 downloads, said Mr Supot.

By 2024, the DGA aims to include more services such as personal land tax examination checks, personal insurance information and interest payment services (pawning).

Mr Supot said the DGA has also launched a government open data centre on data.go.th, where public data is available for citizens and software developers. There are currently 10,226 open data collections and 3,871,796 people have used the service.

For the G2B level, the DGA has designed bizportal.go.th. to provide business-related services for small and medium-sized enterprises. Entrepreneurs can apply for licences from the government through the website. Over 124 services are available online and about 15,881 users have registered for them.

For the G2G level, the DGA focuses on supporting data linkages among state agencies such as the Government Data Exchange (GDX) on communication channels which guarantee data safety. Currently, 13 agencies and 74 data services have been linked while collective data has been linked 133.44 million times.

In addition, the DGA is focused on providing digital knowledge to officials. It has established the Thailand Digital Government Academy (TDGA) to help improve digital skills among civil servants and government officials.

The academy has provided training to more than 1.9 million officials. In 2024, the training will include officials at the provincial level. Digital courses will be designed for the local area and will develop digital skills onsite.

“The success of the DGA’s projects has shown the agency can lead the scheme “Smart Nation Smart Life”, allowing agencies to manage and present public services through digital channels,’’ Mr Supot, the DGA director, said.

Thailand’s ranking in digital government development as surveyed by the United Nations continues to increase as a result of such efforts, he added.

The Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) has issued an update on the progress of Thailand’s digital government transformation, laying out its aim of digitising services via the mobile app “Tang Rat”.

Supot Tiarawut, director of DGA, said the DGA was making progress in driving a digital government, whether providing services at the Government to Citizens (G2C) level, Government to Business (G2B) or Government to Government (G2G).

For the G2C level, DGA has connected more than 112 government services to serve citizens through the application “Tang Rat”, a mobile app that combines services from all state agencies available for people on digital platforms, he said.

Currently, there are more than 112 services with cumulative usage of over 7.5 million logins and 607,041 downloads, said Mr Supot.

By 2024, the DGA aims to include more services such as personal land tax examination checks, personal insurance information and interest payment services (pawning).

Mr Supot said the DGA has also launched a government open data centre on data.go.th, where public data is available for citizens and software developers. There are currently 10,226 open data collections and 3,871,796 people have used the service.

For the G2B level, the DGA has designed bizportal.go.th. to provide business-related services for small and medium-sized enterprises. Entrepreneurs can apply for licences from the government through the website. Over 124 services are available online and about 15,881 users have registered for them.

For the G2G level, the DGA focuses on supporting data linkages among state agencies such as the Government Data Exchange (GDX) on communication channels which guarantee data safety. Currently, 13 agencies and 74 data services have been linked while collective data has been linked 133.44 million times.

In addition, the DGA is focused on providing digital knowledge to officials. It has established the Thailand Digital Government Academy (TDGA) to help improve digital skills among civil servants and government officials.

The academy has provided training to more than 1.9 million officials. In 2024, the training will include officials at the provincial level. Digital courses will be designed for the local area and will develop digital skills onsite.

“The success of the DGA’s projects has shown the agency can lead the scheme “Smart Nation Smart Life”, allowing agencies to manage and present public services through digital channels,’’ Mr Supot, the DGA director, said.

Thailand’s ranking in digital government development as surveyed by the United Nations continues to increase as a result of such efforts, he added.

Staff at the Thale Ban National Park in the southern province of Satun have discovered a new kind of pit viper, the smallest yet found in the subfamily of venomous snakes.

Saengsuree Songthong, chief of the national park, said he, his assistant Nakhen Kaweethanatham and research official Bunyarit Dechochai accidentally spotted the newly-discovered species of pit vipers while they were resting under a limestone shelter recently.

They took pictures and asked a researcher to identify the snakes. The research later found that the team made a new discovery.

Mr Saengsuree said that the newly-discovered species was scientifically named “Trimeresurus ciliaris” and called “limestone eyelash pit viper”. It looks similar to Trimeresurus venustus or “beautiful pit viper”.

The limestone eyelash pit viper is smaller than the beautiful pit viper, the park chief said. Its eyelashes and nose are bigger and patterns on its lateral scales are clearer.

Don Muang will be the first district in Bangkok to obtain a new hospital under the “50 districts, 50 hospitals” policy, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said.

Dr Cholnan said this is one of the 13 programmes he announced on assuming the position.

He said the project would begin by selecting a location with an existing building in the district which would be further developed into a 120-bed hospital for primary care with rooms for emergency operations and medical services.

“What we will do is to improve the building to make it ready for medical services in the first 100 days. This can be done in other districts, if they are ready,” Dr Cholnan said.

When asked about how medical staff would be sourced to work at the new facility in Don Muang, Dr Cholnan said the personnel would initially come from within the Public Health Ministry.

Dr Cholnan said he would like to see the hospitals under this policy to operate as a public organisation, similarly to the Ban Phaeo Hospital in Samut Sakhon’s Ban Phaeo district.

He said he had set up a committee to implement the 13 policies he had announced. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, the permanent secetary for public health, was in the process of setting up 13 sub-committees to oversee each of the 13 policies.

Dr Opas said one of the sub-committees would specifically handle the 50 districts, 50 hospitals policy.

RAYONG: The Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO) has approved a feeder electric train linking with a high-speed rail link between the capital’s airports and U-Tapao airport in the high-speed rail project’s second hearing.

The public hearing panel was recently organised by EECO in Ban Chang district and joined by local administration representatives with a main focus on a development plan for feeder transport for the high-speed railway.

According to Karn Chaloemwongphan, EECO’s traffic and transport model expert, two main railway systems were proposed on the hearing panel: a road-tyre-based system and a fixed guideway-based system.

The panel had agreed on the second method, with two types of train and railway systems to consider. According to Mr Karn, they were a conventional rail-based system, such as Light Rail Transit (LRT), trams, or tram-trains, and a contemporary transit system, such as monorails, automated guideway transits (AGT), and urban maglevs.

Three rail routes for the feeder train were also proposed. They were the northern railway from the EEC-Sri Racha high-speed station in Chon Buri; the western railway from the EEC-Pattaya high-speed station, and the southern railway from the EEC-U-Tapao high-speed station.

Results pointed to the southern railway as the most suitable area due to engineering, economic, and environmental factors. This area will be a pilot for further study as well as the fundamental design of the project, said Mr Karn.

Mr Karn said the feeder train was expected to be a flyover of at least 20 kilometres in length, covering areas between Bang Lamung and Sattahip districts in Chon Buri and Ban Chang district in Rayong.

It will start at the EEC and become a flyover at Highway No.331 (located near Huai Yai police station). The flyover will go along Highway No.7 (Khao Chi Chan and Khao Chi Oan) and finish at Highway No.3, or Sukhumvit Road.

After the hearing, EECO and the project’s consultant will gather comments to improve the feeder train construction, details of which will be proposed at a later hearing.

The 1.92-kilometre high-speed rail link will handle the expected surge in traffic volume caused by U-Tapao Airport’s importance to the EEC. It will be promoted as another international airport for commercial flights in 2025 when the rail link finally opens.

A majority of people want the state to provide subsidies for childcare and free education as an incentive for Thai people to have one or more children now that the country has become an aged society with a low birthrate, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on Sept 26-28 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18-40 of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country.

Asked about their marital status and number of children, the answers varied as follows:

• 29.39% unmarried, not in a relationship
• 26.57% officially married, with one or more children
• 20.92% unmarried, in a relationship
• 10.99% unofficially married, with one or more children
• 4.58% officially married, no children
• 2.52% single parents
• 1.98% unofficially married, no children
• 1.98% living with a partner, with one or more children
• 1.07% living with a partner, no children

For the 759 respondents without children, when asked whether they want to have one or more, 53.89% said they do; 44.00% do not; and 2.11% did not know or were not interested.

For the 334 respondents who do not want to have a child, when asked why, with each allowed to choose more than one answer, the answers were as follows:

• 38.23% did not want to shoulder the expenses for raising children
• 38.23% were not sure how the children would survive in the present social condition
• 37.72% did not want to be burdened with childcare
• 33.23% wanted to lead a free lifestyle
• 17.66% were afraid they would not be able to take good care of the children
• 13.77% attached more importance to work
• 5.39% cited health problems
• 2.10% were uncertain about their genetic ability to produce good children
• 0.90% were afraid about the consequences of bad karma from how they had treated their parents

Asked whether they were concerned there would be fewer new-born children in the future, 50.53% said not at all; 23.13% were not particularly worried; 17.79% were fairly concerned; and 8.55% were very concerned.

Asked what measures they thought should be taken by the state as an incentive for Thai people to have children, with each respondent allowed to choose more than one answer, the answers were:

• 65.19% free education
• 63.66% subsidies for childcare until the age of 15
• 30.00% lower income tax on people with children
• 29.47% more leave days for parents to raise their children
• 21.91% a financial reward for having a child
• 19.92% a subsidy for single parents
• 17.18% develop and provide financial support for childcare centres
• 9.85% free services at centres helping people with reproduction
• 7.48% higher taxes on people without children
• 5.50% wider opening of channels for surrogacy
• 4.89% setting up of match-making centres for Thai people

A visa-free scheme for Chinese and Kazakh tourists has received a positive response, according to Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin.

The scheme — which runs from Sept 25 to Feb 29, amid the Chinese National Day on Oct 1, the Mid-Autumn Festival this month and Chinese New Year in February — is part of the government’s “Quick Win” policy to spur the economy.

Mr Srettha yesterday posted a message on X, formally known as Twitter, that a CNN report showed that Chinese tourists had responded well to the visa exemption and better was yet to come.

Thailand is a top destination for Chinese tourists, he said, adding he was happy for businesses that would benefit from the visitors.

Citing information from Trip.com, which operates China’s largest travel booking platform, Ctrip, Mr Srettha said travel bookings from China to Thailand are now nearly 20 times higher when compared with the same holiday period last year.

Hotel reservations in the country by Chinese tourists have jumped by 6,220% when compared to the same period last year, he said.

“Thailand is very happy to welcome every Chinese traveller,” he said.

“Our country has beautiful beaches and myriads of Thai cuisine. I wish every tourist to travel in Thailand safely and gain good experiences.”

Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke yesterday said the government’s visa-free policy will help spur the economy, adding the country is stressing the importance of keeping tourists safe, which will boost Thailand’s reputation for safety.

Meanwhile, state-run Transport Company managing director Sanyalak Panwattanalikhit said the visa exemption scheme has also benefited domestic tourism as the number of locals visiting tourism sites during weekends has also increased.

Some schools are already on term break, he said, noting the company has reported 30,000–35,000 passengers travelling during the weekend.

One of the most popular routes is Bangkok to Chiang Khan in Loei, he said.

The town of Chiang Khan is a popular destination among Thai tourists who are looking for the laid-back ambience provided by old wooden shophouses lining the bank of the Mekong River, he said.

The company will increase its service from two trips to four trips per day, he said.

In another move, the company will also resume its Bangkok–Ban Phaeng in Nakhon Phanom starting from today, Mr Sanyalak said.

Political activist Srisuwan Janya plans to petition the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to look into the expulsion of Deputy House Speaker Padipat Santipada from the Move Forward Party (MFP).

Padipat: Looking for a new party

Like many political observers, Mr Srisuwan believes the controversial expulsion of Mr Padipat is merely a tactic employed by the MFP to hold both the deputy House speaker’s position and the opposition leader’s post at the same time.

He accused the MFP of violating the ethics code for parties and politicians, stipulated in Section 234 (1) of the 2017 constitution.

“If found guilty, not only will the MFP likely face legal action, but so will any party that accepts Mr Padipat as a member after this dubious expulsion approved by the MFP’s executives,” said Mr Srisuwan.

He described the expulsion as a form of collusion.

On Thursday night, the MFP issued a statement saying Mr Padipat insisted on remaining a deputy House speaker, so the MFP decided to expel him to enable it to lead the opposition.

However, the move was widely seen as a win-win for the main opposition party as it allowed the MFP to take on the role of opposition leader while simultaneously having a sympathetic deputy speaker to chair meetings in the House.

Pitipong Temcharoen, leader and the only MP of the Fair Party, said yesterday he would welcome Mr Padipat with open arms if he decided to join the Fair Party, as some in the media have predicted.

Mr Padipat still has time to decide which party he will join as he has been given 30 days to find a new political home, or he could risk losing his MP status, said Mr Pitipong.

In the event that Mr Padipat chooses to join the Fair Party, he will function as a Fair MP and no longer as an MFP MP, said Mr Pitipong, dismissing speculation the Fair Party would serve as a temporary shelter for Mr Padipat, who would in practice continue acting as an MFP MP and as the deputy House speaker in parliament.

Mr Pitipong said the “hidden agenda” theory was mere opinion by the media and the public and was not a reflection of what’s really happening.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin yesterday ordered a prompt response to floods now occurring in several provinces in upper Thailand, with the northern run-off from the Yom River expected to trigger more floods in provinces downstream, including Sukhothai and Phitsanulok.

Flooding incidents were reported yesterday in some northern and northeastern provinces including Phrae and Phetchabun where one particular inundation had prompted an evacuation in several areas, following a night of torrential rain.

Mr Srettha had emphasised the need for all state agencies concerned, particularly the Ministry of Interior, to reach out to flood victims as fast as possible to ensure their safety and flood relief, said government spokesman Chai Wacharonke.

The PM has received updates on the flooding situation and instructed Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin to take charge of the flood response being led by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Transport, said the spokesman.

“Floods are expected to continue for at least a day or two in several parts of the North and Northeast, particularly in Sukhothai and Phitsanulok where an overflow from the Yom River is expected to flood more communities,” according to Mr Chai.

The Royal Irrigation Department is now racing against time to divert as much run-off as possible into the Nan River to decrease the volume of the northern run-off expected to hit the provinces downstream of the Yom River later, he said.

In Phrae, the provincial government yesterday stressed with all district offices and local administration organisations the need to remain on high alert and brace for more floods.

Heavy rain continued yesterday morning in this northern province, resulting in floods and evacuations in several parts of the province, said a source.

The run-off hit several areas of Den Chai, Long, Sung Men and Muang districts where many houses and roads were inundated. A large number of vehicles were damaged in a strong tide, particularly in the flooded Muang district where levels of flood waters continued rising yesterday.

In Mae Hong Son, rescue workers yesterday removed larges trees and power posts which fell onto the road surface in Mae Sariang district during the torrential rain.

Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang rushed to Udon Thani province where two districts, Phen and Si That, were being inundated.

He said he had instructed a number of military medical teams to be deployed in flood-hit areas to ensure flood victims receive proper care.