Thailand Moves Permits Online to Combat Government Corruption
Thailand is moving government permits online to combat corruption, targeting a major source of bribes in the public sector where residents often wait months for approvals. The unified digital platform will provide transparent oversight and
On July 24, 2025, at Government House, Paroedhorn Prisanannantkul, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office, announced his appointment as chairman of a government anti-corruption subcommittee tasked with addressing bribery in the public sector. The main objective is to raise Thailand's Corruption Perceptions Index and comprehensively tackle structural corruption issues.
The subcommittee will focus on government approvals and permits, which Paroedhorn identified as a major source of corruption. He cited examples such as land reclamation and building permits, where residents often wait months or years without receiving approval, creating legal loopholes that officials exploit to solicit bribes. Paroedhorn stressed that corruption often stems from discretionary decisions in the permitting process.
To address this, the subcommittee plans to move permit applications onto a unified online platform, allowing oversight bodies such as the anti-corruption commission, inspectors, and the applicants themselves to track progress and see clear timelines for each step. The project will be led by the Digital Government Agency under the Digital Economy and Society Ministry.
Paroedhorn noted that while only a few hundred of Thailand's thousands of local government bodies have joined the online platform so far, the initiative aims to expand coverage significantly next year. Other agencies are gradually coming online, with plans to accelerate adoption across all relevant departments.