The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has found the use of its BMA Q mobile application, launched by its registration department in May 2019 to manage service queues, is below set targets, despite a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary for the BMA, Sompark Sukanan, said that less than 10 percent of all people seeking services from the BMA use BMA Q, far below initial targets. Ratchatewi district saw the highest number of users, attributed to its many hospitals, while Tung Kru district saw the lowest.
Most users of this app are those looking to pay taxes with use rising to a peak during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The administration believes the low usage is due to many elderly not having smartphones or not being able to use the app, but acknowledged its own lack of promotion. Relevant agencies have been told to remedy the problem this month, as the app is slated to be developed so it can handle requests without requiring citizens visit a BMA office.
The Deputy Director of the Strategy and Evaluation Department, Prasopsook Pimpagovit, said BMA Q can be downloaded on for Android and iOS. It was created to reduce congestion at BMA offices, as well as waiting times.
The app offers queuing for 10 categories, including identification card issuance, birth and death declarations, with further information and documentation available for convenience.
