EABC Exclusive Dinner Talk Series
“Ease of Doing Business and Transparency Upgrade: Thailand’s Licensing Facilitation Act” by
H.E. Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom of Thailand

Date: Tuesday 9 June 2015
Time: 18.30 – 21.00 hrs (registration starts at 18.00 hrs)
Venue: Ballroom, 8th Floor, Sofitel So Bangkok
Dress Code: Business Attire
Biography of Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam, please click here

The Thai Government Cabinet has approved the Thai Licensing Facilitation Act, published in the Royal Gazette on 22 January 2015. This new Thailand’s Licensing Facilitation Act will be effective and announced as a law by July 2015. The main objectives are to reform bureaucratic system and improve the standard of public services, particularly in the areas of processing/ approval period, enhancing transparency, and preventing corruption through reduction of bribery and favoritism.
The Licensing Facilitation Act aims to streamline government-permit procedures. Under the law, all states agencies are required to have a one-stop-service center to facilitate people in seeking services from the Government by coordinating all the works with concerned government departments. In parallel, to improve transparency in doing business in Thailand, the permitting authorities are required to provide a manual for each sort of approval with clear requirements e.g., processing time, related fee, etc. Together, civil servants are also required to inform service users of result of their service request within seven days.
The Licensing Facilitation Act is thus an important step taken by the current Government with an effort to upgrade ease of doing business in Thailand. The EABC has in our Position Papers outlined the need for enhanced transparency in government policies and guidelines in order to ensure a better investment climate for all businesses operating in Thailand as it it enables Thailand to be more competitive.. Once again, in collaboration with the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), the EABC is proposing to organize as part of our Insight Series on Enhancing Transparency, an exclusive dinner talk to share the Government insights with the European business community in Thailand the essence, progress, and potential benefits of the Government’s current works toward improving transparency and stemming corruption which will enhance Thailand competitiveness. It is anticipated that this Act will bring more predictability and transparency in doing business in Thailand.
More information on Thailand’s Licensing Facilitaion Act, please click here

Program
18.30-18.45: Opening Welcome
Mr. Rolf-Dieter Daniel
President of EABC
18.45 – 19.00: Introduction Address
Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam
Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
19.00 – 19.40: Dinner is served (first and second course)
19.40 – 20.00: Keynote Speaker
Pakorn Nilprapunt
Council of the State
20.00 – 20.30: Q&A session with Dr. Wissanu Krea-Ngam and Mr. Pakorn Nilprapunt