The Government Innovation Lab has launched five new pilot projects this year as part of efforts to promote innovation in the public sector.
Four of these initiatives involve mobile applications and cover tracking foreign workers; helping disadvantaged people know their basic rights and gain access to welfare; a system to make the work of tour guides more flexible; and a one-stop service centre for exporters.
The fifth project is a new model for teaching science in schools.
The application for foreign workers provides answers to frequently asked employment-related questions, a module that enables them to submit feedback to government agencies as well as the ability to report their whereabouts, Public Sector Development Commission secretary-general Pakorn Nilprapunt said.
The pilot projects have received positive feedback from users, he said. For example, the prototype mobile application for exporters called "SMEs Export Accelerator" combines important information such as tax incentive opportunities from five export promotion agencies and acts as a one-stop service centre.
"We also have a new model for science teaching in schools which focuses on providing students with hands-on experiences. All the pilot projects developed by our innovators are designed to make people's lives easier, increase the efficiency of public services and improve the country's competitiveness," he said.
Government Innovation Lab, aka GovLab, allows users to provide input to co-create innovation so the government can provide better services to improve life for citizens, as well as aid with social and economic development, observers say.
The organisation utilises "design thinking" and a citizen-centric approach which focuses on people's needs through public collaborations on innovation development, Mr Pakorn said.
The role of the GovLab, supported by the United Nations Development Programme, is to design and create prototypes to simulate policy implementation and create new public service models. The lab will test the prototypes to find out if they effectively serve the needs of the people. The test results will be used to support and refine policies.
Prakai Theerawattanakul, one of the developers of the mobile application for disadvantaged people, said Thailand has more than 15 million such citizens.
"Some specific groups of people such as those from ethnic minority communities, those with mental health issues, long-term illness or disabilities are less likely to know their rights, and often fail to get help and suffer adverse consequences.
"We have found that some people do not know about the universal health coverage scheme, so we decided to develop a mobile application that helps to inform them about their basic rights and the welfare that the government provides to all citizens," she said.
Ms Prakai said her application only requires users to fill in their citizen ID number and it will show them information about their rights and the welfare they are entitled to according to their age and gender as well as other metrics recorded in the national database.
Pipat Chotchoang, one of the developers of a mobile application for tour guides, said the Department of Tourism's Bureau of Tourism Business and Guide Registration now requires travel firms to issue daily job orders for every service offered to clients.
The job order requirement also extends to tour guides, who are required to carry with them their order list at all times so they can present it for verification in case of problems or complaints. At present they have to write up an order for every single task they carry out, whether it be a sightseeing tour, or just accompanying a group during an airport to hotel transfer.
The agencies and tour guides must submit these details online one day before the tour departure date, using Excel or another spreadsheet.
"The problem is that the job order policy is not practical for daily use as travel programmes can change so it is not easy to report in real-time. The requirement obstructs the workflow of travel company staff and tour guides, so we came up with the idea to develop an application to help them keep an up to day itinerary, which can be easily amended on the go, on their mobile phones," he said.
Mr Pakorn said he will present the results from these pilot projects to the cabinet to show ministers how they can create positive changes to workflows and the lives of the people.
"These pilot projects still need further iterations, development and co-creation with users, but they all have potential. I hope to turn these prototypes into real services in the near future," he said.