Question: How can I file a complaint with officials if I have any concerns about government offices, cheating or corruption? I read in your paper that the governor was going to establish an official complaint center for non-Thais. Could you provide me with any more details about that. Much appreciate it. – Harrold in Kathu
Praphan Khanprasang of Phuket Damrongtham Center replies:
Complaints about government officials can be made at municipal Damrongtham centers (Ombudsman’s offices). There is one centre for every municipality so just find the one nearest to you.
You can lodge complaints in person or by having the complaint passed through government offices.
Letters of complaint can be posted by mail or you can make contact via the Damrongtham website (http://123.242.171.10/Damrongtham/w_index.php), or by calling your local Damrongtham centre.
Complaints lodged at the centre are then passed on to the Governor, who decides whether the issue warrants further investigation.
As well as handling complaints, Damrongtham offices also accept tip-offs, complaints about land issues and requests for help.
We prioritize urgent matters and try to take action on all issues within 15 days but that time frame also depends on the complexity of the issue.
Results of investigations are then returned to the governor so a conclusion or further investigations can be authorized.
Foreigners are welcome to report issues to Damrongtham centers and we are working on making English-language services available in the near future. However, for the time being, it’s best to have any complaint letters that are written in a foreign language translated to Thai.
If you lodge a complaint we will require a copy of your passport and your address in Thailand in case we have more questions or need to give you updates on the investigation process.
Small issues can usually be resolved directly by the local municipality but we should be contacted directly concerning larger issues.
The main Phuket Damrongtham office is located at Phuket Provincial Hall, on the first floor, and is open 8:30am – 4:00pm. Do you have an issue/question for our Q&A desk? If so, email your questions to editor@classactmedia.co.th