Nong Khai border trade one-stop service centre formally inaugurated

Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat on Friday presided over the opening ceremony of the Nong Khai Border Trade One Stop Service Centre.

The Nong Khai facility became the first one-stop service (OSS) centre in Thailand, and it was formally inaugurated under the so-called Thailand National Single Window (Thai NSW) that has been on a test run since September 1.

In his opening speech, Julapun said the government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra continued the policy of the previous Srettha Thavisin government to set up OSS centres to facilitate imports and exports.

He said one-stop services became possible with the upgrade of the Thai NSW system to link online databases of all government agencies concerned.

Julapun also expressed confidence that the Nong Khai OSS centre would double border trade in the region within three years.

During the ceremony, Theeraj Athanavanich, director general of the Customs Department, said the Nong Khai OSS centre was set up under a Cabinet resolution dated May 7.

The resolution required the Agriculture Ministry, Industry Ministry, Public Health Ministry and Commerce Ministry to work with other government agencies to speed up opening of OSS centres to facilitate border trade.

Threeraj said the establishment of Nong Khai OSS centre was made possible with cooperation from eight agencies – the Nong Khai Customs Office, the Nong Khai Commerce Office, the Nong Khai Industry Office, the Nong Khai Excise Office, the Nong Khai Flora Quarantine Office, the Nong Khai Fauna Quarantine Office, the Fisheries Quarantine Area 2 and the Nong Khai Food and Drug Office.

He said importers have been allowed to test-run the single-submission system under the Thai NSW since September 1.