Work permits renewed in 15 minutes

PHUKET CITY: Work permits are being renewed in just 15 minutes and new work permits approved faster than ever thanks to streamlined procedures recently introduced at the Phuket Provincial Employment Office (PPEO).

PPEO Chief Boonchok Maneechot explained, “We have been using the new system for two weeks. I consulted with work permit officers for a month to find out the best way to process work permits, and now people do not need to come to our office two or three times. We will have their work permit renewed in just 15 minutes, and new work permits approved in just one week,” K. Boonchok said.

“Before, it took about three weeks for a new work permit to be approved, and about two or three days for a renewal,” he added.

K. Boonchok explained that he has delegated officers to sign on his behalf in case he is unavailable to do so himself.

He added that instead of details being handwritten into work permits by officers, they are now printed by computer to make them clearer.

“I have been working here here for nearly a year, and the thing that I am most proud of is our improvements to the work permit process. I’m not sure if our office is the first to renew work permits within 15 minutes, but I think every office has to do the best it can.

“The feedback on the new system has been very good because nobody expected that we could renew work permits in 15 minutes. I plan to survey people’s satisfaction with the service, and I can use that information to improve our procedures.”