Participants working on their idea during the "My Better Country Hackathon"

Participants presenting their ideas they came up with in group work during "My Better Country Hackathon"

Participants working on better services for older persons, social welfare and the governmental webiste and hotline.

Participants listening to KAS Thailand Project Manager Napajaree Jiwanantaprawat - who is adressing them via Online Communication.

Further from last year that the online platform to promote e-participation had been launched, the OPDC moved on with the hackathon event to collect ideas and perspectives from groups of active citizens, especially the youth, for related governmental offices to provide more effective and innovative public services. This time, the 12th hackathon focused on three main topics concerning with elder population and governmental online services, i.e.
• Empowering older persons;
• Social welfare for all; and
• Government hotline and website 1111.

Each participant registered for the topics they were interested and sat in a group to discuss the problems and to exchange their experiences on the issues. Besides, the OPDC also provided speakers and facilitators specialized in communication and development skills who came to guide the participants in gathering and digesting ideas so that they were able to convey the information to the government in the most accurate and efficient direction.

In the afternoon, every group compiled their findings and suggestions; then presented them to the OPDC executives and the supervisors from related governmental offices. The executives and supervisors also gave comments as well as exchanged with the participants about the existing issues and progress. Significantly, they gathered all information and suggestions from participants and brought them back to work on within their organizations to improve the services.

As the activity head and steering organization, the OPDC will also draft the policy recommendations in the final stage of the project and distribute them to the related governmental offices. The improvement in open data management and innovative public services is expected. For that, the OPDC will follow up with each office and publicize the results further for public recognition and knowledge.

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