Public services are vital touchpoints between citizens and their governments, shaping everyday experiences and perceptions of public institutions. High satisfaction with services can strengthen citizens’ trust in government and reinforce the legitimacy of public institutions (OECD, 2024). Satisfaction reflects a range of service qualities, including accessibility, responsiveness and quality (Baredes, 2022). As such, satisfaction with public services can also help provide a useful diagnostic of citizens' perceptions of, and experience with, public services. Satisfaction may also be affected by expectations of service quality, past experiences and personal characteristics.
On average, satisfaction with healthcare services in Southeast Asia (SEA) countries was reported at 87% in 2024. This was higher than the average in OECD Member countries in the same survey, which was reported at 64% (Figure 6.1). In 2024, high satisfaction levels were reported in all countries within the SEA region, with the highest in Singapore (92%), Viet Nam (90%), and Cambodia (90%). Since 2014, the regional average for SEA has risen by 9 percentage points (p.p.) from 78%, whereas the OECD average has decreased by 5 p.p. from 69% to 64% over the same period. Among individual countries, the largest improvements in satisfaction with healthcare services were observed in Viet Nam (+18 p.p.), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (hereafter “Lao PDR”) (+14 p.p.) and Cambodia (+11 p.p.).
On average, satisfaction with education services in SEA countries was reported at 89% in 2024. This was higher than the average in OECD Member countries in the same survey, reported at 66% (
Figure 6.2). In 2024, the highest satisfaction levels in SEA were reported in Viet Nam (96%), Cambodia (94%), and Thailand (92%). The Philippines (89%) and Indonesia (88%) also reported strong satisfaction levels. Since 2014, the regional average has increased by 6 p.p. from 83%, while the OECD average remained stable over the same period. The largest improvements in satisfaction were observed in Viet Nam and Indonesia (+12 p.p. and +10 p.p., respectively).
On average, confidence in the judicial system in SEA countries was reported at 71% in 2024, compared to the average of 57% across OECD countries in the same survey (Figure 6.3). The highest levels of confidence in the judicial system were reported in Singapore (85%), Indonesia (75%), and Lao PDR (72%). Since 2014, the average in the SEA region has increased by 5 p.p. from 66%, while the OECD average rose by 6 p.p. over the same period (from 51% in 2014). The most substantial improvements were observed in Cambodia (+27 p.p.), Indonesia (+21 p.p.), and the Philippines (+6 p.p.).
