New rule in Thailand allows stateless people to apply for citizenship
Thailand has introduced a new rule that allows many stateless people living in the country to apply for citizenship, including children of ethnic minorities who have long been part of Thai society.
The regulation, announced in the Royal Gazette on June 30, offers a legal path to citizenship for people born in Thailand to stateless parents whose information was recorded in official surveys before 1999, and for others listed in surveys carried out between 2005 and 2011 under a national plan to address legal identity issues.
It is expected to benefit groups such as the Moken people and others from long-residing ethnic communities who are already included in the national database.
Government officials say about 140,000 people may qualify under the new criteria, provided they follow the required steps and meet the set conditions.
Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich said the policy follows a cabinet decision aimed at solving long-standing problems of legal identity and social exclusion for those who have lived in Thailand for decades.
Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Unsit Sampantarat said the policy would not apply to migrant workers, displaced people in temporary shelters, or foreign nationals with passports.
“These individuals are not undocumented migrants or illegal foreigners,” he said.
Applicants living in Bangkok must apply at the Department of Provincial Administration, while those in other provinces can file their paperwork at district offices.
The regulation will be in effect for one year from the announcement date, unless extended by the government.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
