HCM City (VNA) – Four weeks into the full operation of the new two-tier local administration model nationwide, Ho Chi Minh City’s Thu Duc ward has adopted initiatives ranging from the trial use of robots to free legal consultation services, and support for elderly residents with online public services – all reflecting a clear shift toward citizen-centric administration.
Since July 1, Thu Duc has put into service two robots at its administrative centre. One functions as a receptionist, greeting residents and guiding them through required procedures. The other provides administrative form templates, offers refreshments, and handles waste collection. The centre has also integrated ChatGPT to assist residents with questions regarding administrative procedures.
Chairwoman of the Thu Duc People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Mai Trinh said the ward has partnered with the HCM City Bar Association to launch a free legal advice service, which helps individuals, businesses, and entrepreneurs navigate legal complexities, particularly amid frequent regulatory changes, by providing timely legal assistance and explanations.
The ward was established through the merger of Linh Chieu, Truong Tho, Binh Tho, and part of Linh Tay ward, with a population nearing 120,000 and a total area of 88 square kilometres. It is currently processing around 360 types of administrative procedures across 70 fields. Since July 1, its administrative centre has received nearly 2,300 applications, including about 1,300 submitted in person, and has resolved over 2,100 cases ahead of schedule.
With its two-tier model entering the second phase of refining the structure, organisation, and optimising human resource deployment, HCM City is making efforts to complete the transition to a fully “borderless” administrative system by the end of this year, ensuring uninterrupted, streamlined public service delivery.
The southern economic hub currently maintains 41 administrative service points, including 38 mobile units operated by the municipal public administrative service centre. Each unit, comprising five officials from local departments such as construction, finance, and agriculture, and environment, is responsible for processing city-level applications and offering technical guidance to ward-level staff.
Following the second phase, the city is set to conduct a comprehensive review of job positions and functions to streamline its administrative machinery, aiming for a compact, efficient, and effective structure./.
