The public-hearing process runs until the end of October.

“This is to make it responsive to the public need as much as possible,”’ Jirachai Moonthongroi, permanent secretary at the PM’s Office, said on Tuesday. “It also follows the new charter’s requirement in regard to people’s right to information, especially information under state offices.”

The Official Information Act, in place since 1997, is one of the main tools for the public to access state information, but its procedures are very lengthy, prompting concerned parties to review the law and seek its amendment accordingly.

Jurachai said the national official information committee had been working on the draft amendment of the law and would submit it for Cabinet consideration by November.