The Customs Department has set up a channel to allow the public, exporters and importers direct access to the heads of units to make complaints against officials. The move is part of its effort to address corruption.
The Customs Bell project is aimed at solving problems at a faster rate, said director-general Somchai Sujjapongse.
Under the project, the department allows service users to know the telephone numbers of heads of units. People can also lodge complaints through the Customs Department's 1331 hotline.
Eradicating corruption is a priority of Mr Somchai since he took office recently as the Customs Department has received numerous complaints about its lack of transparency.
The project is part of its attempt to improve its image. In 2009, the Customs Department set up a centre to enhance transparency and good governance of its officials.
Shortly after Mr Somchai took the helm, the Customs Department started tracking more than 400 supercars that disappeared from private bonded warehouses in a bid to find their owners and recover tax owed.
The department later threatened to file complaints against any importers, owners of bonded warehouses and customs officials found to be involved in avoiding duty payment on these luxury cars.
The Customs Department also plans to lower the reward given to customs officials and third-party whistleblowers on any customs avoidance, and reduce the penalty to make investigations more transparent and reduce officials' overzealous crackdown on tax evasion driven by high rewards.
The current reward-sharing system offers 55% of the penalty recovered from an offender to be distributed as a reward. Of this amount, 30% is given to third-party whistleblowers. The remaining 25% is shared among the customs officials who identified and handled the case.
The department will cut the maximum paid to officials to 15% of the penalty, or 5 million baht, whichever is lower. For outsiders, the ceiling amount will be set at 10 million but the maximum remains at 30% of the penalty, whichever is lower.