From Official Information to Public Information: Rethinking Thailand’s Official Information Act in the Digital Age
Keywords:
public information, official information, information transparencyAbstract
Since the Official Information Act B.E. 2540 (1997) has been in effect for over two decades, numerous provisions stipulated in this Act have become obsolete (outdated) and incongruous with the current societal context. Notably, the Thai state has undergone significant growth over the past 20 years, resulting in the emergence of novel state power structures. Furthermore, state authority and budgetary allocations have been decentralized to private-sector organizations while the scope of information deemed significant and of public interest has expanded considerably. The provisions of the Official Information Act B.E. 2540 (1997) are no longer adequate to address these evolving circumstances. A methodological approach was employed to examine the conceptual framework of public information, complemented by a comparative analysis of the United States Freedom of Information Act. The objective is to elucidate and discuss the limitations of public information accessibility. Based on these findings, the study aims to propose recommendations for amendments to the existing law or the enactment of new legislation to address the identified issues.
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