Government 2.0 in
Thailand
Website to track
where government spending goes
By Jon Fernquest 
Government
2.0 is a
new computing trend on the web. The idea is that the public uses the web to monitor government projects and the way that taxpayer money is being spent.
This new idea could make corruption a lot more difficult.
One of the main people behind Government 2.0 is computer book publisher Tim O'Reilly who organised the Gov 2.0 Summit this year (Read article).
Today's article starts after the vocabulary:
(In photo on right Finance Ministry showing off new website that tracks the progress of fiscal stimulus projects)
government 2.0
- the use of internet technologies to provide improve the operation of
government, makes information available to the public and allows public
participation and monitoring (See Wikipedia)
track, monitor - - follow, watch, and investigate something to find out more about it
track progress - watch something to see if job is being done and goals will be achieved
Tim O'Reilly - founder of computer book publisher O'Reilly Media, supporter of the free software and open source movement, created the term Web 2.0 (See Wikipedia and Twitter)
Gov 2.0 Summit - an important meeting in Washington to discuss Government 2.0 (See Wikipedia and website)
show off - proudly show people something
fiscal stimulus - a temporary increase in government spending or tax cuts to get the economy growing again after a recession
track, monitor - - follow, watch, and investigate something to find out more about it
track progress - watch something to see if job is being done and goals will be achieved
Tim O'Reilly - founder of computer book publisher O'Reilly Media, supporter of the free software and open source movement, created the term Web 2.0 (See Wikipedia and Twitter)
Gov 2.0 Summit - an important meeting in Washington to discuss Government 2.0 (See Wikipedia and website)
show off - proudly show people something
fiscal stimulus - a temporary increase in government spending or tax cuts to get the economy growing again after a recession
STRENGTH IN SCRUTINY
By Wichit Chantanusornsiri29/09/2009
Website underscores government's determination to ensure that stimulus funds aren't wasted
It's a 1.43-trillion-baht question - can the government effectively implement its grandiose investment programme, on deadline, with minimal waste and corruption?
The answer will have profound implications for the economy, not only in the speed of recovery from the global recession, but also in how the country can compete over the medium term.
progress - gradual
improvement towards achieving a goal
track progress - to follow progross (to watch and record "gradual improvements towards achieving a goal")
scrutiny of Y - when Y is studied and observed very carefully (to check for problems or gain information)
X underscores Y - X shows very strongly Y
fiscal stimulus - temporary increased spending or tax cuts to get the economy growing again after a recession
stimulus funds - the money to be spent in government fiscal stimulus projects
implement Y - actually doing Y (which has already has been planned)
effectively implement Y - carry out the plan for Y in a successful way (achieve Y sucessfully)
grandiose - very big and elaborate (more than is necessary)
on deadline - project will be completed on time, will meet deadline, no delays
profound - has very deep meaning
profound implications - something very important and meaningful might happen or result from it
over the medium term - over a period of time that is 2-10 years into the future
track progress - to follow progross (to watch and record "gradual improvements towards achieving a goal")
scrutiny of Y - when Y is studied and observed very carefully (to check for problems or gain information)
X underscores Y - X shows very strongly Y
fiscal stimulus - temporary increased spending or tax cuts to get the economy growing again after a recession
stimulus funds - the money to be spent in government fiscal stimulus projects
implement Y - actually doing Y (which has already has been planned)
effectively implement Y - carry out the plan for Y in a successful way (achieve Y sucessfully)
grandiose - very big and elaborate (more than is necessary)
on deadline - project will be completed on time, will meet deadline, no delays
profound - has very deep meaning
profound implications - something very important and meaningful might happen or result from it
over the medium term - over a period of time that is 2-10 years into the future
One promising sign, however, is the commitment made to allow public scrutiny of the "Thailand: Investing from Strength to Strength" programme. The Finance Ministry has set up a website, http://www.tkk2555.com, that promises to allow anyone access to details on the progress made in implementing each of the thousands of projects under the programme.
The website name stems from Thai Khem Kaeng, as the programme is more commonly known, combined with the Buddhist year 2555, representing the year 2012 or when the investments are to be completed.
Supachai Jongsiri, the ministry's deputy permanent secretary overseeing the website, said the objective was to give the entire public, urban and rural residents alike, clear access to details of each project involved in the programme.
Web programmers have been directed to make the site user-friendly and accessible to laymen.
"The aim is to allow the public to participate directly, to examine for themselves how public money is being spent," Mr Supachai said.
It is a novel concept for the civil service. Historically, government projects have been mostly hidden from view with little opportunity given for ordinary citizens to access details about spending, procurement and investment details.
promising - the
future looks good
a promising sign - something that indicates the future will be good
commitment made - a promise made
public scrutiny - when people look closely at details of a project and possibly find fault with it
Thailand: Investing from Strength to Strength (Thai Khem Kaeng) - Thailand's second stag fiscal stimulus
user-friendly - when a system is easy for people to use (See Wikipedia)
accessible - can be used by
laymen - normal people without special knowledge
allow the public to participate directly - people can see details for themselves (don't have to rely on the word of others such as media or politicians)
novel - new and different
novel concept - a new and different idea
civil service - government workers who work for the government their whole career
procurement - buying things, the formal process of buying supplies in a company
a promising sign - something that indicates the future will be good
commitment made - a promise made
public scrutiny - when people look closely at details of a project and possibly find fault with it
Thailand: Investing from Strength to Strength (Thai Khem Kaeng) - Thailand's second stag fiscal stimulus
user-friendly - when a system is easy for people to use (See Wikipedia)
accessible - can be used by
laymen - normal people without special knowledge
allow the public to participate directly - people can see details for themselves (don't have to rely on the word of others such as media or politicians)
novel - new and different
novel concept - a new and different idea
civil service - government workers who work for the government their whole career
procurement - buying things, the formal process of buying supplies in a company
A map of Thailand on the website categorises each of the projects by geographic area. Clicking on any individual project will bring up details on the responsible agency and project objective. If a project has already had funds committed, additional details are given about progress made to date.
Each project is colour-coded, with purple representing projects on track and red for projects that have fallen behind schedule.
Mr Supachai said the progress reports on the web would serve as a tool to measure the efficiency of each state agency in implementing projects under the Thai Khem Kaeng programme.
Agencies behind schedule must stipulate the reasons for delays, as well as the individuals responsible for the project.
the responsible agency
- the
government with the duty or job to do this
an objective - a goal
project objective - a project goal
commit X for Y - promise to give X to project Y
a committment - a promise
funds committed - funds that have been promised to a project
progress made to date - improvements made up to now
projects on track - the projects are on time, have reached goals on time
on schedule - have completed exactly what project schedule says you must have completed
fallen behind schedule - not on schedule
ahead of schedule - have completed more than you need to complete
efficiency - achieve a lot with limited resources
stipulate - state clearly
stipulate the reasons for delays - state clearly the reasons for the delays
an objective - a goal
project objective - a project goal
commit X for Y - promise to give X to project Y
a committment - a promise
funds committed - funds that have been promised to a project
progress made to date - improvements made up to now
projects on track - the projects are on time, have reached goals on time
on schedule - have completed exactly what project schedule says you must have completed
fallen behind schedule - not on schedule
ahead of schedule - have completed more than you need to complete
efficiency - achieve a lot with limited resources
stipulate - state clearly
stipulate the reasons for delays - state clearly the reasons for the delays
"The public can contact any agency for themselves if they wish. We believe this will help put pressure on the different state departments to meet their mandates, helping raise efficiency for the entire programme," Mr Supachai said.
Authorities say Thai Khem Kaeng will feature public transparency at a scale never before seen in Thailand. The funding details and budgets approved by the cabinet for the projects will be open to scrutiny, as well as the winning contractor bids and procurement details.
put pressure on X to do Y - force
or make X do Y
a mandate to Y - have the authority to do Y
meet their mandates - actually do Y successfully
public transparency - when any person can see what is happening (if they want)
scale - size
open to scrutiny - details can seen by outsiders
a bid - an offer of a price by someone who wants to do a project
contractor - a company that has a contract and arrangement with another company to do work or provide goods
winning contractor bids - the price offered by the company who got the contract to do work or supply goods
procurement details - the details of supplies bought
a mandate to Y - have the authority to do Y
meet their mandates - actually do Y successfully
public transparency - when any person can see what is happening (if they want)
scale - size
open to scrutiny - details can seen by outsiders
a bid - an offer of a price by someone who wants to do a project
contractor - a company that has a contract and arrangement with another company to do work or provide goods
winning contractor bids - the price offered by the company who got the contract to do work or supply goods
procurement details - the details of supplies bought
Projects proposed by each ministry are first vetted by the Budget Department, and then by the cabinet for final approval. Project details are input into the Government Fiscal Management System (GFMIS), a database that was set up in 2004 as part of the civil service's "e- government" initiative.
The Budget Bureau will also input details on each project in its own e- budgeting system, including disbursement schedules based on the priority assigned to each project. This data is reconciled with the GFMIS system, with cross-links made between the agencies responsible for making payments for each project, planning centres overseeing the progress made to date to facilitate quick identification of where bottlenecks and delays exist.
vetted - checked
carefully for acceptability
budget - the amounts of money that an organisation has available to spend on different things during a period (See Wikipedia)
e-budgeting system - a computer system for making budgets that displays the amounts budgeted online
disbursement - officially giving money to some project or for some use
facilitate - help
bottlenecks - problems that prevent a project from going forward and making progress
budget - the amounts of money that an organisation has available to spend on different things during a period (See Wikipedia)
e-budgeting system - a computer system for making budgets that displays the amounts budgeted online
disbursement - officially giving money to some project or for some use
facilitate - help
bottlenecks - problems that prevent a project from going forward and making progress
"All of the information is electronic. Even questions submitted through the website by the public will be forwarded and answered online by the responsible agencies. Each project must have its data keyed into the system using a web-based form," Mr Supachai said.
He said he wanted the site to have a web board allowing the public to post comments about the projects, adding another level of checks and balances.
The ministry is even investing in additional servers and bandwidth to help cope with public demand for the site.
The site will split small microprojects from larger projects involving funds of more than 50 or 100 million baht. Larger projects will have additional data available in an e-book, including information about the project design, photographs tracking progress made at each stage and Google Earth maps showing the location of each project.
So far, the cabinet has approved 2,352 projects, involving 199 billion baht. Most are small community programmes selected for their readiness and ability for rapid completion, to maximise the short-term benefits for the economy.
submit - officially
give or send a report or other document for consideration or
deicionmaking
questions submitted - officially present questions you want to ask to a person or organisation
forwarded - when a message received is sent on to another person
data keyed into the system - data entered into the computer system with a numerical keypad
numerical keypad - small set of keys to type numbers into a computer (usually on far right of computer keyboard) (See Wikipedia)
web board - a website where people can have discussions
checks and balances, separation of powers - a system of shared power for preventing abuse of power, found in constitutions and laws (the legislative, judicial, and executive branches often share power in a government) การตรวจสอบและคานอำนาจ (See Wikipedia)
server, web server - the software on a central big computer that provides information to users with smaller computers attached to a network (See Wikipedia)
client-server system - (See Wikipedia on client-server system)
a client - the software on the small computers of users that connects them to the main server where they get information
bandwidth, communications bandwidth - the amount of data that can be carried over a communications connection during a period of time
cope with - be able to deal with a problem (solve or at least reduce)
questions submitted - officially present questions you want to ask to a person or organisation
forwarded - when a message received is sent on to another person
data keyed into the system - data entered into the computer system with a numerical keypad
numerical keypad - small set of keys to type numbers into a computer (usually on far right of computer keyboard) (See Wikipedia)
web board - a website where people can have discussions
checks and balances, separation of powers - a system of shared power for preventing abuse of power, found in constitutions and laws (the legislative, judicial, and executive branches often share power in a government) การตรวจสอบและคานอำนาจ (See Wikipedia)
server, web server - the software on a central big computer that provides information to users with smaller computers attached to a network (See Wikipedia)
client-server system - (See Wikipedia on client-server system)
a client - the software on the small computers of users that connects them to the main server where they get information
bandwidth, communications bandwidth - the amount of data that can be carried over a communications connection during a period of time
cope with - be able to deal with a problem (solve or at least reduce)
(Source: STRENGTH IN SCRUTINY, Wichit Chantanusornsiri, 29/09/2009, link)
