Developing Public Sector Human Resource Management Models in the Digital Era: A Comparative Study of Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea

Abstract

This article examines public sector human resource management (HRM) in the context of the transition toward digital government and provides a comparative analysis of institutional mechanisms, policies, and HRM systems in Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. The study employs a comparative approach based on documentary analysis of policy documents, government reports, and relevant academic literature in order to understand the characteristics and development of public sector HRM systems in each country and to derive policy implications for Thailand.

The findings indicate that Singapore demonstrates a high level of digital maturity in public sector HRM through the integration of personnel data via cloud-based systems and the use of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics, to support workforce planning, recruitment, and capacity development. South Korea has achieved significant progress through the establishment of the centralized personnel management system, known as e-Saram, which integrates personnel data across government agencies and facilitates evidence-based workforce policy at the national level.

In the case of Thailand, the government has made notable progress in developing digital front-end services to improve public service delivery, the back-office system of public sector human resource management remains constrained by limited data integration. Fragmented governance arrangements and siloed operations across government agencies restrict the effective use of personnel data for strategic analysis and workforce planning.

This article suggests that strengthening public sector human resource management in Thailand in the digital era requires the development of an integrated personnel data infrastructure, the adoption of data analytics and artificial intelligence in workforce planning, and the repositioning of HR units from primarily administrative functions toward a more strategic role. These reforms are essential for advancing digital government and strengthening public sector capacity in the long term.