In a bid to improve transparency and eliminate corruption, the Thai government will soon accept digital applications for construction permits, reports local media. The new process will remove interaction between state authorities who grant licences and applicants.
“It will be zero touch. Those who apply for a licence or a permit can just scan or photograph the documents and submit them in digital formats via an application or software system. They will be sent immediately to the relevant government agencies,” says Areepun Charoensuk, Senior Adviser at the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, to the Phuket News.
Under the new process, applicants and authorities will not need to meet each other. Experts say this will help minimise the opportunity to offer or ask for bribes which have complicated the construction permit process in the country. The construction permit is one of the most important licences and companies in the property sector must have it before building can start.
Obtaining construction permits can create extra costs estimated to be 1 per cent of project value, according to Tortrakul Yomnak, former President of the Engineering Institute of Thailand. Bribes are paid in both Bangkok and the provinces to expedite the time it takes to obtain a construction permit. The prices of these bribes can vary by location and size of the project.
“The digital system will help simplify the permit application process. We aim to reduce the processing time by 30-50 per cent. It will be more transparent,” says Areepun.
The project is currently awaiting budget approval. Plans call for a number of government services to improved with the revamp of the construction permit application system just one part of this proposal. A number of improvements have been drafted by the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission that are designed to improve the ease of doing business in Thailand.
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