The most challenging tasks for passport issuance service at the time were:
(1) Negotiating with increasing demand for passports;
(2) Quickening work process speeds to reduce all costs including opportunity costs for the benefits of both customers and service provider;
(3) Manufacturing best products. In the context, this means upgrading Thai passports to meet the trend of internationally recognized standard, and make border crossing more convenient and less time-consuming ;
(4) Making passports service accessible to the population throughout the country to promote equality among different groups of citizens.
Over the span of 5 years (1998 to 2002), the numbers of passport applications per year increased dramatically, from 500,000 to 900,000 due to globalization that has brought about a great demand for passports. It was estimated that if the Consular Department did not restructure the passport service, by 2008, the main passport office would have to accommodate 300 applicants waiting each hour.
Coping with increasing demand is a challenge, especially when the work process involved as many as 7 steps and a number of identity documents are needed to verify genuine identity.
The slow work process was largely due to lack of computerized system.
Visual and manual work process could do only little to help protect passport from modern methods of document forgery and fraud. Forged passports and abuse of identity are useful tools for criminals, especially for terrorism, illegal immigration, dual citizenship, and human trafficking.
Moreover, MFA was often asked to bring equality in passport service to all social groups. People living in remote areas had much less access to passport service than those living in the capital or big cities. Travel costs were rather high in terms of time and money. Some people had to ride a public bus or a train as far as 700 kilometers spending 1-2 days to commute to the nearest passport office. Many spent at least 3,000 Baht (nearly 100 USD) for 2 return trips, for application and for pick-up. People living in poverty, the unemployed and the poor pilgrims were the most affected groups. For the country, travel costs alone incurred from 23,000 applicants making their trip from remote areas, accounted for 69 million Baht
(appx. 2 million USD) per year in early 2000’s.
A new holistic concept to overhaul the entire passport issuance service was initiated in early 2000’s. Firstly, E-passport Project was introduced to promote convenience and timeliness, higher quality of passport, and reduction of paperwork.
Secondly, a plan for opening more regional offices and for more frequent operation of mobile passport unit was brought up for review to provide more access
to a wider population. Thirdly, other elements, such as feed back system through several channels and courtesy concept were incorporated into the overhaul to make a holistic improvement to passport service structure.
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