State enterprise courier Thailand Post has unveiled the Digital Post ID service, where recipients' information can be stored on QR code labels attached to parcels to protect data privacy and ensure a more precise location for delivery.
The approach is in response to people's digital lifestyles and to support personal data protection, the company said.
The Digital Post ID service, which is optional, supports mail and parcel delivery where only the names of receivers are shown on packages, with the other details stored on a QR code.
The move is part of Thailand Post's operational transformation under its Digital Post roadmap.
The service will be fully implemented in the second quarter of next year, the firm indicated.
Digital Post ID was unveiled to the press yesterday, witnessed by Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn.
Dhanant Subhadrabandhu, chief executive of Thailand Post, said the company has spent 100 million baht developing all related elements and procedures for the Digital Post ID service.
"We have tested the system and are gauging feedback from relevant parties," he said.
The company handles the backup of data and transactions in collaboration with the Civil Registration Division of the Interior Ministry, he said.
The Digital Post ID service can also be leveraged to support other activities, such as delivery routing, fraud prevention, integration into financial services, and a future unmanned vehicle transport system.
It can also support urban planning, natural resource management, tourism, and agricultural planning.
The system can be used for healthcare services, such as by providing assistance to patients in emergency situations, collecting information about the elderly in each area, and supporting the use of telemedicine.
"It can contribute to the establishment of a new standard for electronic transactions involving other sectors," said Mr Dhanant.
Users' written addresses will be turned into digital forms.
"One person now can have multiple addresses and the delivery location can be changed in the system when the person travels to different places," he said.
The system can determine the location of the recipient in vertical positions, which means the delivery can be made accurately to a specific position in the building.
People will be able to have their own Digital Post ID code from the second quarter of next year.
Post offices and logistics providers will soon have QR code label printers to accommodate the services, and receivers can be confident that their personal data will not leak, said Mr Dhanant.
QR codes can be used once per delivery to ward off data leakage.
Access to information is restricted, in line with the principles of the Personal Data Protection Act.
Mr Chaiwut said the project is meant to improve postal service efficiency while supporting users' convenience and ensuring protection of their personal information.
