Thailand Post plans to launch Prompt Post, a full-scale digital mailbox service, by the third quarter to cash in on the electronic document handling business trend and serve the transition roadmap of the Post Digital mission.
According to Thailand Post chief executive Dhanant Subhadrabandhu, his company has been proactively developing its business, with the aim of offering comprehensive postal and logistics services.
Prompt Post is a digital mailbox platform intended to provide convenience for the company's customers.
In terms of security when using the digital mailbox, the process requires identity verification from an ID card system. The information is confirmed by the Department of Provincial Administration, which checks to see whether or not the ID number is valid and the person exists or not. Once the identity has been successfully verified, it can be used to access the Prompt Post service.
Receiving and sending documents resembles sending regular letters, the only difference being the electronic format, Mr Dhanant said.
For example, senders of business-related registered letters must provide an electronic signature (e-signature) to guarantee it is an authentic transaction and ensure that signatures cannot be forged. This electronic document can be used as evidence in court.
When a letter is sent to its destination, there will be an electronic record (e-timestamping) with the time clearly stamped to ensure the time the letter is sent is directly referenced. The closing of envelopes is also carried out with an electronic stamp (e-seal) like the letter procedure.
Mr Dhanant said the difference between a digital mailbox and an email is that email is prone to receiving spam messages or messages from unknown senders, while Prompt Post is a closed platform. Therefore, senders must register first in order to verify their identity and prove their identity to the customer, through a process known as KYC (Know Your Customer) first.
"It will greatly help facilitate the sending of documents, ID cards, or copies of a house registration or those documents that can be converted to an electronic format and kept in mailboxes," Mr Dhanant said. "When sending or using various documentary evidence, you can retrieve the file from the mailbox and send it straight away. The government agency will also receive the document electronically."
Thailand Post plans to launch a full-scale digital mail box service Prompt Post by the third quarter.
Thailand Post is in talks with several government agencies to develop a Prompt Post pilot project, he said.
Mr Dhanant said Prompt Post would also generate new business for Thailand Post.
Thailand Post is the sole authorised agency under the Postal Act that has full authority to operate certified digital-mails and documents in the country.
Thailand Post has also invested in IT infrastructure to become a smart logistics operator. Last year, the company invested around 2 billion baht for such development.
INFORMATION LOGISTICS
Mr Dhanant said the transformation of traditional mail to a digital mailbox platform would help prepare its postmen to take a further step into the e-commerce ecosystem.
"One plan in our roadmap is to become an information logistics service," he said.
Thailand Post now uses a nationwide network of postmen in conjunction with Chulalongkorn University Research Service Centre to conduct market research, such as research on asset surveys for asset servicing firms. This helps firms reduce costs.
"Our 18,000 postmen could help introduce products to people in the community, receive orders and deliver the products as required in retail business," Mr Dhanant said.
Transport and logistics currently generates 47.6% of total revenue for the company, followed by the postal group at 31.2%, the international service group at 15.9%, the financial business group at 1.78%, the retail business group at 2.78%, and other business at 0.66%.
Thailand Post is utilising its whole database to cash in on the retail sector. Its retail business generated 500 million baht last year, up from 300 million baht in 2021. Its retail business provides stalls for merchants through which they can sell and deliver their products.