The public will be empowered to file lawsuits against state officials who fail to carry out their duty as part of a new anti-red tape act, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam says.
He said the Public Facilitation Act is aimed at making it "faster, cheaper and easier" for people seeking permits or licences from state offices, such as the Lands and Customs departments, and reduce delays and complexities in the bureaucratic process.
If officials fail to issue permits or licences within a specified timeframe, the act allows the public to lodge lawsuits against them with the Administrative Court or the Court of Justice, citing Section 157 of the Criminal Code which deals with abuse of power, Mr Wissanu said.
The act was announced in the Royal Gazette on Jan 22, and it will come into force in July.
Mr Wissanu said the act could also ward off corruption and discourage foreign investors from relocating. "The legislation is part of reform of the civil system, which should have been carried out a long time ago," he said.
Attempts were made to pass the bill under previous governments, but they did not succeed as state agencies refused to cooperate, the deputy premier said.
Manuals will be drawn up to explain steps involved when the public contact state offices for a service, he said. The manuals will cover 20 ministries, and 150 departments, state enterprises, public organisations and local administrations.
Every state department must submit their manuals to the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), which will review the content. Details can be changed if they are found to be inappropriate or inadequate.
"The OPDC will select 10 departments where many permits are usually sought as the pilot agencies to publish manuals for the public," Mr Wissanu said, adding the manuals should be completed within six months.
The pilot agencies could include the Customs Department and the Department of Lands, he said.