Thailand provides SMEs with streamlined access to public services
- Claire Lee
Thailand has rolled out SME One ID, a platform where business owners can apply for various government services using a single identification. The project, aimed at reducing overlapping procedures and streamlining registration and documentation, is expected to benefit over three million SMEs.
“Thanks to seamless integration between all partner agencies, the platform can greatly reduce overlapping procedures, unnecessary filling of forms, and lower documentation management costs,” said Weeraphong Malai, director of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP).
The platform can currently handle the registration of individuals, who would be able to apply for various government services from different agencies without having to register for a new account and wait for the agency to verify their documentation.
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The OSMEP is planning to expand SME One ID’s coverage to more government agencies, including the ministries of Industry, Commerce, Labour, and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.
The government also aims to achieve at least one million registrants by the end of 2022, bringing in one third of Thailand’s SMEs to the platform.