Deputy Transport Minister Siripong is pushing to upgrade the Department of Land Transport’s services by reducing procedures and sealing corruption loopholes. He promotes an online driver’s license renewal system and police data integration to enable same-day public driver’s license issuance.
Siripong Angkasukolkit, Deputy Minister of Transport, described the overall operations under his oversight, noting that while the Department of Land Transport (DLT) might be seen as routine, it actually touches every stage of citizens’ lives—from obtaining a first driver’s license and using public transport to overseeing the national transport system. Therefore, the key goal is to raise service quality for the public while ensuring operators can conduct business fairly and efficiently.
Siripong said that in the past, the Department of Land Transport faced criticism for inconvenient services and some bribery issues in certain processes. These weaknesses must be urgently addressed to provide the public with convenient, transparent services and ensure laws are properly enforced. Upon taking responsibility, he found that many measures had already begun, so he is accelerating their development to achieve more concrete results.
“One key measure is developing an online driver’s license renewal system to facilitate public convenience by reducing travel and unnecessary steps. However, individuals of certain ages who require physical fitness assessments—such as eyesight tests and reaction evaluations—must still visit the Department of Land Transport in person because physical abilities decline differently by age and need assessment for road safety,” Siripong explained.
The ministry is also streamlining services to reduce opportunities for bribery, especially in issuing public driver’s licenses. Previously, applicants had to visit police stations to check criminal records, which took 15 to 30 days, and the entire approval process could take up to 45 days. Now, the Royal Thai Police and the Department of Land Transport systems are linked, allowing applicants to check their records via the police app. The data is automatically sent to the Department, enabling issuance of public driver’s licenses within one day, significantly easing the burden on citizens.
." Government Policy . Additional