Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has requested the Customs Department accelerate the national single window (NSW) system to be completed by next year to facilitate trade flows.
The NSW links electronic licence information for the transfer of information between the public and private sectors. The system facilitates expediting cargo clearance and cross-border trade via the electronic exchange of trade-related documents.
The NSW is a system developed by the Customs Department to facilitate exporters and importers, said Mr Arkhom.
The private sector and ambassadors from several countries have urged Thailand to expedite the customs clearance system used by the Customs Department to facilitate trade flow in the country.
Five ambassadors from developed economies recently met at the US ambassador's residence in Bangkok to call for Thailand to undergo regulatory reform via the "Ten for Ten" measures.
Some of these include reforming restrictions on foreign skilled labour, reducing regulatory red tape for the ease of doing business, in addition to allowing fast-track access for essential business travel.
Thailand moved up six places to 21st out of 190 countries in the World Bank's 2020 ease of doing business rankings. The country scored 80.1, slightly below Malaysia (ranked 12th with a score of 81.5) and Singapore (second with a score of 86.2). The lowest score is zero and 100 represents the best performance.
Mr Arkhom said the NSW system Thailand uses with other Asean countries will have to be improved in terms of information exchange because it still faces hiccups.
The NSW system that links information on exports and imports from 37 organisations in Thailand needs an update as some organisations have added documents to their information database, he said.
Mr Arkhom said he supports the Customs Department creating a bonded warehouse as a distribution centre for goods along Thailand's borders. For the distribution of goods to a third-party country, the goods may be packaged or modified in a bonded warehouse then exported to a third-party country.