Mr Phouvong Kittavong (right) shakes hands with Dr Sonephet Inthavong as they display the Agreement on Digital Filing Development.

Govt partners with Phounphonnakhone Co., Ltd. to create digital filing system

The Ministry of Finance and Phounphonnakhone Co., Ltd. are joining forces to develop a system that will enhance the use of electronic forms and the management of budget disbursement in the public sector.
The system, known as digital filing, will be developed to increase efficiency in the collection of government fees and service charges.
An agreement on the initiative was signed in Vientiane on Friday between Deputy Minister of Finance Mr Phouvong Kittavong and Vice President of the Phongsavanh Group and CEO of Phounphonnakhone Co., Ltd., Dr Sonephet Inthavong, with witnessed by other officials both sides.
The Digital Filing (D-Filing) project is part of the Ministry of Finance and government’s efforts to modernise the management and monitoring of government revenue and fee collection, with the aim of increasing efficiency and ensuring effectiveness in the collection of fees and service charges in the public sector.

Phounphonnakhone Co., Ltd., represented by the Vice Chairman of the major shareholder in the Phongsavanh Group, and President of Phounphonnakhone Co., Ltd., Mr Phaiboun Phongsavanh, gives 10 billion kip to Deputy Finance Minister Mr Phouvong Kittavong to support digital system development on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Lao PDR.

This will be done by developing a fee collection management module and service fees as stipulated in Presidential Decree No. 002, creating a system that is modern, fast, transparent, auditable, and supports the management of budget disbursement.
In the past, the payment of fees and service charges within the public sector, as well as by service users and others paying fees and service charges, has been made in cash, Head of Office at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Somchit Khammoungkhoune, said.
Payments are not normally made through banking channels, while there is also a lack of modern tools and systems to assist users and others paying fees and service charges which, if they existed, would create transparency and trust in public organisations concerning the collection of revenue for the state budget, he added.
In addition, access to statistical data is limited, making it difficult to summarise the facts around the collection of fees and charges.
This also means it is challenging to compile and track the actual amount of money collected in a timely manner, while there is a lack of modern tools to monitor and manage fees and service charges moving towards digitalisation, Mr Somchit said.
Therefore, the development of a system for managing forms and budget disbursement in the public sector (digital filing) is very important and necessary for regulating the collection of fees and service charges owed to the state budget, ensuring the process is accurate, complete, transparent, efficient and effective, he added.
This has become a matter of urgency for the government, as it will expand the income base and gradually build financial strength, thereby helping to stabilise national finances and provide a strong contribution to the effective and sustainable development of the economy and society.
Managing the collection of such revenue requires the use of modern systems that track the revenue earned by the state budget and connect data on the collection of fees and service charges through a centralised account involving ministries, other areas of the public sector, and ministerial-equivalent organisations, in ways that are efficient and effective.
Dr Sonephet said the government, including the Ministry of Finance, has made a considerable effort to modernise the management and monitoring of the collection of monies owed to the state.
Realising the significance of this work, the Ministry of Finance organised a bidding process to hire a company to develop a modern management module system for the collection of fees and service charges across the public sector, he added.
The Phongsavanh Group has been in existence for 49 years and operates businesses that contribute to the development of Laos in many areas, such as communication systems, banking, insurance, logistics, etc., and has more than 5,000 employees across the country, Dr Sonephet said.
The new partnership between the Ministry of Finance and Phounphonnakhone Co., Ltd. is another solid and significant step and will be a powerful force in propelling Laos towards greater and more tangible prosperity and overall development, he added.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update December 16, 2025)