The National Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a bill requiring government agencies to set deadlines for granting approval to businesses bidding for contracts to make tendering more convenient and eliminating pitfalls that lead to corruption.
The NLA passed the second and third readings of the public service convenience law during Thursday's parliamentary session, and it will take effect after being published in the Royal Gazette.
The law requires government agencies to produce handbooks on procedures in 180 days after promulgation. The handbooks will guide businesses on the correct methods to seek contracts at each agency and set deadlines for approval to be granted.
Pongniwat Yutthaphanboriphan, head of an NLA committee that scrutinised the bill, said government officials would now be open to criminal action if they failed to meet deadlines because of corruption or negligence. The damaged party could pursue the criminal charges.
The law was aimed at ending approval difficulties and delays that caused damage to contractors. It empowered the cabinet to order government agencies to speed up approval and give central authorities permission to overrule agencies which were creating approval delays, Mr Pongniwat said.