Thailand-born stateless boy gets his Thai ID card

By The Nation

 

 

So-called "rootless" people, those who were born in Thailand but abandoned at birth and thus have no Thai identification number or household document, can now file for birth certificates and apply for Thai nationality, according to a new law that has been published in the Royal Gazette and comes into effect this week.

 

The new edition of Civil Registration Act also allows the "rootless" people to change names, last names and information to appear on the household documents, although those staying in a house or on land over which they had no ownership will only get receive temporary household documents. 

 

On April 11, Bangkok's Sathorn District Office issued a Thai national identification card to 18-year-old Kittipat (last name withheld) who has been under care of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry since he was abandoned at birth at Samut Sakhon's Ban Phaew Hospital.

 

The Mathayom 5 schoolboy, who is also a school athlete and marching band member, currently resides at the Mahamek Home for Boys in Sathorn. "I'm so glad to be granted Thai nationality because, as a stateless child, I would not have been able to continue with tertiary education or work. Now I have Thai nationality, I will study hard to get into a university to study engineering so I can be a lecturer in the field," he said.

 

Surapong Kongchantuk, a lawyer who helps stateless and displaced people, explained that Kittipat was qualified to receive Thai nationality under the December 7, 2016 Cabinet Resolution that allows Thailand-born "rootless" people to apply for Thai nationality. Ban Mahamek submitted the boy's application on January 11 and he received his ID card on April 11, Surapong said.

 

The lawyer said that he would hold a workshop at the end of May for social welfare administrators and officials so they could help "rootless" children living at centres to apply for Thai nationality. 

 

The full Civil Registration Act can be found atwww.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2562/A/049/T_0033.PDF.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367725

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-15

A off topic post and replies to it have been removed.

How lucky can you get !!

in most other countries, this would not even be news

 

but here you can live 10-20-50 years, as a farang, work, spend millions and still be considered as a tourist

Finally somebody smiling on their ID card, and with good reason.

Stateless, displaced, child.

 

 

Sounds like most expats. Can we get a Thai ID? 

      About time the Thai authorities did the same for all the 'stateless' Hill Tribe peoples.

1 hour ago, attrayant said:

Finally somebody smiling on their ID card, and with good reason.

Ha ha, yeah! I'm sure that was only posed for the press release.

Everyone one is always told not to smile when having their ID/passport photo taken here.

Justin Case

My grandfather was born in Russia and came  to Switzerland to study medicine in 1914. Stripped from his Soviet nationality for not having returned to the country in 1927, he finally settled in France in 1930.
Not only was he not allowed to practice medicine, his Swiss diploma was not recognized in France, but the French nationality was denied him despite the fact that he worked legally as a physio-therapist and paid his taxes. He remained with a political refugee card until his death in 1973.
Mr. Justin Case, did you ask for Thai nationality? If not, what special status do you claim?

It is about time...

yes, now, in France,
when a paperless migrant help an old lady cross the street,
  the next day, the press, the televisions, the social networks speak about it, photos in support,
and the day after tomorrow, he has French nationality, housing and a "job", that is to say, he makes all the TV sets.
No luck for your grandfather

that is to say, he is invited to all the televisions of France

 

I rectify the previous misinterpretation