Accra:According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilapraphan has announced significant progress in the development of an early retirement program for civil servants. The program is in its final stages, with the details being finalized by relevant agencies before submission to the Cabinet. A key aspect under discussion is the compensation amount, which is anticipated to exceed 12 times the previous limit, with the final figure to be decided after consultations with the Ministry of Finance.
The program will initially target civil servants aged 50 and above. However, individuals aged 40 and above may also qualify if they have a valid reason, such as the need to care for parents or due to illness, subject to approval by their supervisor. The initiative aims to reduce the number of civil servants by 5% annually, starting in the 2027 fiscal year. The first phase of this reduction will require a budget of 7 billion baht, potentially sourced from the central government budget. It is expected that the budgetary requirements will decrease in subsequent years.
In a related development, the Cabinet has approved the transfer of 48 personnel from the dissolved Land Bank Management Institute to the National Land Policy Committee under the Prime Minister's Office. These personnel will contribute to creating and updating integrated land boundary maps, known as the One Map project. Once completed, the Cabinet will authorize the project, and relevant agencies will have 90 days to amend subordinate legislation accordingly.
Efforts to reduce redundant government agencies are underway, with the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission examining the issue. This process will be gradual to mitigate impacts on staffing and responsibilities but is intended as a long-term strategy.
Additionally, measures to streamline workforce downsizing have been discussed. On October 8th, the Multilateral Joint Committee for Open Public Administration called for enhanced data linkage following the Public Service Facilitation Act's enactment. This aims to improve information sharing on issues such as environmental concerns, land encroachment, and official corruption, ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing citizen grievances and optimizing the use of data across government services.
Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn has also highlighted his achievements in fully implementing the government's legal policies during his six-month tenure in office.