Govt’s First Counter Service Set To Open

[george]

Govt’s first counter service set to open

BANGKOK: -- The Civil Service Development Committee plans to open the government’s first counter service on Saturday at Sky Train stations, to accept payments and offer other government services.

The planned counter service is part of the government's scheme to make the country’s public services more efficient, a senior government official, Thosaporn Sirisamphan told TNA.

The Government Counter Service (GCS) is designed to help tackle the civil service’s red tape culture.

''People just visit the counter and can do everything they need to,'' Mr.Thosaporn said.

The public will be able to pay their bills, post letters, renew their passports, pay their income tax, buy an airline ticket, get an identify card and a 30-baht-health-care card, he said.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will attend the official opening ceremony of the GCS.

''In the near future, we hope to set up government counter services inside communities, underground train stations, department stores and airports throughout Bangkok and in the provinces,” Mr. Thosaporn said.

--TNa 2005-02-23