U.S. Citizen, Born in Thailand to a Thai parent and foreign Parent

[JFLETCH]

I am really hoping to find some help on this forum.  I am a U.S Citizen born in Thailand in 1979. I have a foreign parent and a Thai parent with a Thai I.D. card.  I am looking to get a Thai I.D. and possibly a Thai passport.  I am having a heck of a time getting a reply from the Thai consulate in L.A. and an even harder time getting help from the Honorary Thai Consulate in Denver.  I have my Thai Birth Certificate - Which states " Not Entitled to Thai Nationality - Revolutionary Council Decree 337). dated Dec 13, 1972/February 23, 1979)".  Can anyone tell me if I am still entitled to a Thai I.D., if I am not able to obtain a Thai Passport? Any insight would be extremely helpful. Thank you.  

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, JFLETCH said:

Can anyone tell me if I am still entitled to a Thai I.D., if I am not able to obtain a Thai Passport?

The short answer is no because Thai ID cards are only issued to Thai nationals.

 

Under the Nationality Act someone born to a Thai mother or father is entitled to Thai nationality. However, I don’t know how the 1972 decree 337 affects your right to nationality.

 

If that decree has been repealed you will be able to acquire Thai nationality and get both a Thai passport and ID card.

 

Hopefully a dual national TVF member will be able to tell you if — based on that decree and subsequent nationality act amendments — you are now able to acquire nationality.

[BritTim]

You are a Thai national, following a change in the law that happened in 1992. See "Revolutionary  Council Decree ... shall be repealed" under the revisions to the Thai Nationality Act (No 2) (1992) in http://thailaws.com/law/t_laws/tlaw0474.pdf. The Thai Nationality Act basically recognised jus sanguinis, but the Revolutionary Council passed a decree denying Thai citizenship to those born of Thai mothers and foreign fathers (Thai fathers and foreign mothers still had citizenship).

 

My daughter, born in 1989, was affected by the decree, but had no difficulty claiming her Thai nationality (nor, by the way, keeping her dual nationality) after the decree was repealed.

 

I suggest you carefully document why you are a Thai citizen, and try again with the official Thai consulate in LA.

[ubonjoe]

No need to do anything at the consulate in LA. Travel to here, go to a Amphoe with a family member to get registered in their house book by showing your birth certificate. Then you can get a Thai ID card and passport.

About the only thing the consulate can do is issue a non-o visa for being a Thai national by showing your birth certificate.

The consulate in Denver can not do anything  for you other than issuing a visa since they are a honorary consulate.

[asiaexpat]

As UJ stated it is an easy process since you have a Thai birth certificate already. It will require a trip to Thailand. Since you have a Thai BC you have a Thai ID number and will be in someones House Register and the District Office can find out where you are registered. My son did this without much of a problem even though he was born in 1970 and applied many years later.

[JFLETCH]

Thank you all for your responses.  It was very helpful. Looks like a trip to Thailand is in my future.  I appreciate you all!