"Smart Province" pilot project for IT-enabled administration villages: Thailand

[webfact]

"Smart Province" pilot project for IT-enabled administration villages
THANAPAT KITJAKOSOL
THE NATION



It takes a village to make a 'Smart Country'

BANGKOK: -- NAKHON NAYOK has been chosen to become the first "Smart Province" before the Kingdom's remaining 76 provinces catch up in the next seven years to become part of a "Smart Country".

The pilot project will cover all of Nakhon Nayok next year, before expanding to Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Pathom, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Mai in 2015.

This "first in Asean" project will integrate IT and cut down on paper usage in administrative jobs. For instance, simple complaints filed with village headmen will automatically be forwarded to the nearest police station, while birth, death or household transfer information will be added to the district office's system. Meanwhile, if residents find themselves having to vote in a public forum for issues such as environment-damaging projects, all they will need to do is swipe their "smart" ID card.

Ban Koh Wat village was selected to represent Nakhon Nayok's Ongkharak district to become part of the pilot project's "four villages of four districts". This is the first major change in 15 years, Ban Koh Wat village headman Kob-larp Daojaeng, 45, said.

Proudly showing off the Ban Koh Wat information and service centre, which opened early this year, Kob-larp said it comes equipped with free Wi-Fi access, digitally recorded information from public forums and households as well as information about Ongkharak sub-districts. Key locations in the 115-household village are also pinpointed in the GPS system.

"We got a good feedback since the centre opened. Now, people only have to bring their ID card to complete all their transactions, just like they would do at the district office. Except now they don't have to travel too far," he said.

Residents can access state information quickly and since the villagers themselves can complete all transactions, there is no question of identity or benefit entitlement theft. Also villagers can access state help more effectively and thoroughly, he added. Welcoming this pilot project as an effort to promote community participation, he said he had keyed in detailed information about his village, which will be used in the country's development plans. Kob-larp also said he held a video-conference meeting with the other three pilot villages every Tuesday to exchange ideas.

Polchai Leelakhet, headman of Ban Wang Toom, another pilot village in Muang district, said this project simplified people's lives and required village headmen and assistants to develop IT skills to propel the work forward.

Village headman Paiboon Phoungdokmai from Ban Moo 3 in Tambon Wang Krajom in Muang district said this project had enhanced the role of villages and taught headmen to step up. "With the Industry and Information and Communication Technology ministries providing the system and software, village headmen need to obtain and update information such as population, vocations and income. This differs from the Basic Minimum Needs reports because we have to add details of every household member. Administration gets easier when you have all the information at hand," he said, adding that his village - which will be joining the project next year - was 70-per-cent ready and planned to recruit more IT-savvy assistants.

Nakhon Nayok Governor Dr Surachai Srisaracam said the "Smart Province" project took a year and a half to formulate and used a people-centred approach starting with the smallest cell - villages. The system, which integrates the Provincial Administration Department's household registration system, the Geographic Information Systems and the Management Information System, was propelled by the CISEE concept or communication, information, service, education and economy.

Surachai said the cost of running a village information and service centre would be just Bt1,000 a month and once the entire system is in place, it can be applied to other provinces.

Interior Ministry deputy permanent secretary Kaenpetch Chuangrangsi said Nakhon Nayok had been granted a Bt200-million budget for the "Smart Province" project, in addition to Bt27 million for the four model villages.

ICT Minister Anudith Nakornthap said the second ICT master plan (2009-2013) was to set up an ICT infrastructure that covers the entire country and ensures better public access so Thailand can become a "Smart Country".

"Living in a Smart Province will allow you to access information via the 'smart' ID card," he said, adding that all ID card holders can access their own and their family's information. Meanwhile, central and provincial administration, local bodies, the private sector and banks can access information via the cloud storage system, which also provides various levels of access.


-- The Nation 2013-09-16

[NongKhaiKid]

IT is the way forward but how about some context ? I'm sure many areas would prefer uninterrupted electricity and water supplies, roads in decent repair, schools that are not in danger of collapse and so much more.

However this does not sound as flash as supplying IT service.

These all singing, all dancing improvements will help village headmen and grass roots officials do a better job but it won't stop them having to be paid to do so.

[ggold]

There one thing they haven't thought about. Normally the introduction of IT is followed by reduction in staff numbers due to the reduction of paperwork. So does this mean government employees will be made redundant?

[lifeincnx]

This is a good thing and a little redundancy may just get some of the folks to do a better job. Unlike the private sector, government admin the world over is known for slackers, lack of process improvement and staff fearing any new technology as, to them, it might mean they'll actually have to do some work.

Here in Thailand it has risen to the level of fine art. But for this IT pilot to really work with efficiency and increased productivity at the very least both Facebook and Line apps will need to be blocked through the IT pipe.

Can't tell you the number of times I have been in a Thai admin office only to see the uniformed busy bees chatting away online like magpies.

[dcutman]

Stepping into the 20th century must be so exciting for them.

Meanwhile here in the 21st century, the rest of the world..........

[tiger2]

News Flash!!! You can't fix stupid...

[chooka]

But can I find a farang husband on here and does he speak thai?

[Mampara]

There goes the workload, its just Facebook and line from now on.

[JoeThePoster]

to become part of a "Smart Country"

Until then.

[jbrain]

Why is the word " HUB " missing from the OP ?

[simple1]

If the following is an accurate quote from the OP the project will eventually fail due to insufficient training, support & maintenance.

"Surachai said the cost of running a village information and service centre would be just Bt1,000 a month"