B.E. 2526 Regulation of the Office of the Prime Minister on Office Correspondence

Regulatory Framework and Enforcement

The Prime Minister's Office Regulation on Office Correspondence B.E. 2526 was established to modernize and replace the previous B.E. 2506 regulation. It became effective on June 1, 1983. This regulation supersedes older mandates regarding official signatures and general clerical work. It applies to all government agencies, though any agency needing to perform tasks outside the scope of this regulation must seek agreement from the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office. If other specific laws or national security regulations provide different instructions for document handling, those specific laws take precedence.

Definitions and Scope of Clerical Work

Office correspondence refers to document management ranging from creation, reception, and transmission to storage, borrowing, and eventual destruction. Within this context, a book refers specifically to official government letters. Electronic refers to the application of electrons, electricity, electromagnetism, or similar methods, including optical or magnetic methods. An electronic correspondence system is the protocol for receiving, sending, and storing information or books via electronic media, including official e-mail or other communication systems designated by agency heads. Electronic books are documents created, received, or stored within this electronic framework.

Government agencies include ministries, departments, bureaus, or any state agencies in central, provincial, and local administrations, including those located abroad. The term also encompasses committees, which are groups of individuals assigned by the government to perform specific tasks, including sub-committees and working groups.

Classification of Official Correspondence

Official correspondence consists of six distinct types of documents. These include letters exchanged between government agencies, letters from agencies to external organizations or individuals, and letters from external parties to agencies. It also covers documents created by the government as evidence or according to law, as well as data received via the electronic correspondence system. The specific categories are:

1. External Letters: Formal communication using Garuda-stamped paper.
2. Internal Letters: Less formal communication within the same ministry or province using memo paper.
3. Stamped Letters: Documents using a seal instead of a head official's signature.
4. Command Letters: Orders, regulations, and rules.
5. Public Relations Letters: Announcements, statements, and news releases.
6. Evidence/Record Letters: Certifications, minutes, and internal memos.

Standards for External and Internal Correspondence

External letters must follow a rigid structure on Garuda paper. They include a reference number consisting of alphabetic codes and the owner’s number. The date requires the full name of the month and the Buddhist Era year. The subject must be a concise summary. Salutations and closing remarks are dictated by the recipient's status as defined in specific appendices. If references or attachments are included, they must be clearly listed. The body text should be clear, and if multiple points are made, they must be separated into numbered paragraphs. Documents must include the signature and printed full name of the author, their position, and contact details for the responsible unit.

Internal letters are used for communication within a ministry, department, or province. They use memo paper and are less formal than external letters. These must include the name of the issuing agency, a reference number, the date, and a concise subject. The body text summarizes the essential information, and while less formal, it still requires a signature and position title.

Command and Public Relations Documents

Orders involve instructions from superiors that are legally binding, issued on Garuda paper, and include the reason for the order and the effective date. Regulations are established standards for routine operations, whether based on law or not. These are numbered sequentially starting from the first version. Rules are mandates issued under specific legal authority. Both regulations and rules follow a structure starting with the title, the enforcement date, and the identity of the person responsible for the regulation.

Public relations documents include announcements, which explain facts or provide guidance. If an announcement is required by law, it may be termed a notification. Statements are issued to clarify government activities or events to the public. News records are information the government deems appropriate for dissemination. Both announcements and statements use Garuda paper, while news follows a specific press release format.

Evidence Documentation and Meeting Minutes

Certification books are issued to certify facts about individuals, legal entities, or organizations for general or specific purposes. These use Garuda paper and may include a 4 $cm$ by 6 $cm$ photograph of the certified person if the matter is highly significant. Meeting minutes record the opinions, participants, and resolutions of a meeting. They must detail the meeting number, date, location, list of attendees, list of those absent with reasons, and the start and end times. Memos are used for communication between subordinates and superiors or between units below the department level. These can be handwritten or electronic, and in electronic systems, a name may replace a physical signature if the system provides identity verification.

Operational Procedures for Receiving and Sending

When documents arrive, they must be prioritized by urgency. The receiving unit stamps the document at the top right with the receipt number, date, and time. This information is then recorded in a receipt register. For sending, the originating unit checks for completeness before passing it to the central registry. All outgoing mail is recorded in a sending register. Letters may be sent via post or electronic system. In the electronic system, the sender must verify the transmission, and the recipient must acknowledge receipt. Once acknowledged, no physical copy needs to follow.

Urgency levels are categorized into three types: Top Urgent (Immediate action), Very Urgent (Fast action), and Urgent (Faster than normal). These must be marked in red ink with at least 32-point bold font on the document and the envelope. If a deadline is required, the term "Urgent within" followed by the date and time is used.

Retention and Disposal of Documents

Documents are generally kept for at least 10 years. However, certain types have different durations. Financial records not involving permanent rights must be kept for at least 5 years after audit. Simple or routine matters are kept for 1 year after completion. Historical or research documents are kept permanently or as defined by the National Archives. Documents that are 20 years old must be transferred to the National Archives of Thailand by January 31 of the following year, unless the agency proves a necessity to keep them. Electronic books are generally kept indefinitely, but may be deleted after 10 years if they are not archival documents and space is needed, using a first-in, first-out deletion method.

Technical Standards for Stationery and Seals

The Garuda emblem for forms comes in two sizes: 3 $cm$ and 1.5 $cm$ in height. Agency seals are circular with two concentric rings: the outer ring is 4.5 $cm$ and the inner is 3.5 $cm$ in diameter. Paper standards usually specify white bond paper at 60 $g/m^2$. Standard sizes include A4 (210 $mm$ by 297 $mm$), A5 (148 $mm$ by 210 $mm$), and A8 (52 $mm$ by 74 $mm$). Envelopes are typically 80 $g/m^2$ white or brown paper, except for C4 size which uses 120 $g/m^2$. Standard envelope sizes are C4 (229 $mm$ by 324 $mm$), C5 (162 $mm$ by 229 $mm$), C6 (114 $mm$ by 162 $mm$), and DL (110 $mm$ by 220 $mm$). Electronic archival files should ideally be in PDF format with a resolution of no less than 150 $dpi$.