THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT

The Treasury Department has the principal responsibility to oversee national assets management as well as to act as the central treasurer for the civil administration in the transfer of money to provincial treasuries.

The Department's major tasks are threefold. First, it administers government assets and coin circulation including controlling and checking coins, monitors fiscal reserves in each provincial treasury office, controls government savings deposited with the Bank of Thailand, handles earnings and other benefits in addition to keeping the government assets account book, and organizes activities related to commemorative coins and royal decorations exhibitions. Second, the Department has the duty to administer coin-minting operation. Lastly, it manages real property (government-owned land) in three manners: conserve and ensure good condition of the properties, administer utilization of the estates especially in relation to other government agencies, and manage the properties commercially for maximum returns.

The Department's Policy

This is broadly divided into two parts, operational and organizational. On the operational side, the Department aims to maintain stability and soundness in the country's monetary system, improve coin-minting operation through employing new technology, refine exhibitions of coins and decorations, improve real property administration, and strengthen government estates information collection system. Organizationally, the Department emphasizes restructuring to achieve more efficiency and flexibility, promoting staffs quality enrichment, improving the working procedures to be more up-to-date, upgrading computers and other equipment, and increasing public relations efforts.

Outstanding Achievements

  1. Provincial Centers for the Ministry of Finance: The Department was assigned to manage a project of building regional offices of which construction in four provinces was approved, and one more is under way.
  2. New minting factory :This is going to be set up in Pathumthani province, and will be equipped with advanced technology which will increase production capacity.
  3. Public parks: Two projects have already been approved.
  4. Government offices on real property: The Department is planning to allow government departments with limited working space to utilize a certain parcel of land in Bangkok.
  5. King Rama V Monument: This is in recognition of His Majesty's long term vision and efforts to lay out the country's financial system.
  6. Introduction of bar-code system: This will be used to handle activities in controlling coin production and circulation.
  7. Real property utilization map: The Department has introduced GIS (Geographic Information System) to help administer real property by means of taking aerial photographs

The Future Plan

To evolve with other developments in the present environment, the Department will have to prepare itself at least in three aspects. Firstly, human resources development must be accorded more attention. Secondly, in addition to restructuring the organization, administrative strategies should also be adjusted to reflect existing economic setting and practices particularly in areas related to commercial management of real property. For example, joint ventures with private companies may be considered as a new vehicle for the property utilization. Lastly, the Department should introduce new technology into their operation while paying due attention to environmental conservation concerns as well.