Dual Nationality For The Baby

[Stabbo-Lad]

Hi all,

My Thai wife's due to give birth to our first baby (boy) in May. Being English myself the baby will have dual nationality, entitling him to a UK passport hence no visas required for any visits to Blighty.

Other than having to cough up about 12000 Baht for birth certificate and passport at the British Embassy (robbing bsatards) are there any disadvantages to holding dual nationality and living in Thailand? Are there any benefits, other than the UK passport?

Thanks in advance,

SL.

[DragonQuest]

Pro- congradulations on your kid man!

con- Dont see a con, but the education system fails in thailand unless you have and arm and a leg for the better schools. Im sure the UK has better schools but i doubt your moving there either.

[Stabbo-Lad]

Pro- congradulations on your kid man!

con- Dont see a con, but the education system fails in thailand unless you have and arm and a leg for the better schools. Im sure the UK has better schools but i doubt your moving there either.

Thanks DragonQuest.

Already aware of Thai schools being rather average. My wife's seven year old son (who lives with us) goes to school in the next village and I'm less than inspired by what I've seen so far.

What about Thai society in general. Do mixed race children have any problems being accepted? I know alot of the Thai 'movie/TV stars' are mixed race, but how's my boy going to fit-in in downtown Klong Sam?

SL.

[GuestHouse]

Congratulations to both you and your wife.

I think you should seperate two things. Thai attitudes to foreigners/the children of foreigners and the issues relating to citizenship.

I take to view (as a dual national myself) that having two passports is a huge advantage. Your son is entitled to a British Passport, this is not just free access to the UK, but free access to Europe and easy access to almost every country on the planet.

Think of it that way and Bht 12000 for the paperwork is a bargain.

Get him his British Citizenship and passport. He'll thank you everytime he doesn't have to queue for hours in airports.

[p_brownstone]

The only real disadvantage would be that as a Thai National your son would be required to take the lottery for being drafted into the Thai Armed Forces.at, I think, the age of 18. Of course that’s a long way down the track and there are ways around it (holding another Nationality does not exempt him from the obligation though).

Patrick

[Amethyst]

The only real disadvantage would be that as a Thai National your son would be required to take the lottery for being drafted into the Thai Armed Forces.at, I think, the age of 18. Of course that’s a long way down the track and there are ways around it (holding another Nationality does not exempt him from the obligation though)

If my son being drafted to the army im honored to let him be in it and to serve his country. By that time it will be compulsorry for all thai male age 18 to be in the army just like in Singapore where they called it National Service

Edited March 9, 2007 by tytus

[samran]

tytus, lets not make this a debate about the pro's and con's of military service. You may be honoured to have served, but some poor farmer boy needing to support his family might not find it fair that he got the red ball after the son of a local businessman slipped the recuriter 20K baht to be excempted medically from the same red ball.

There are also valid defence arguments about the efficacy and the effectiveness of a proffessionally paid volunteer army versus a involuntary conscript force.

My point....way beyond the scope of this discussion!

Cheers

Samran.

[wrecker]

Hi all,

My Thai wife's due to give birth to our first baby (boy) in May. Being English myself the baby will have dual nationality, entitling him to a UK passport hence no visas required for any visits to Blighty.

Other than having to cough up about 12000 Baht for birth certificate and passport at the British Embassy (robbing bsatards) are there any disadvantages to holding dual nationality and living in Thailand? Are there any benefits, other than the UK passport?

Thanks in advance,

SL.