A special day! Former US citizen and now Thai funnyman goes with parents to get his Thai ID card

 

 

Udom Suksanaih - the Phrae resident who recently became a Thai and then paid to renounced his US citizenship - has posted pictures of himself going to get his very first Thai ID card or "bat prachachon".

 

Udom, 44, - born Allen Long - was with his father Gene (also known as Bunyuen Suksaneh) and mother Mary Long. They live in Phrae too but not with Udom. They are US citizens. Udom's younger sister is already a Thai.

 

A happy Udom told Thaivisa today after getting his ID yesterday:

 

"The three of us arrived in Thailand together in 1978. It was a special day yesterday, especially for me!"

Udom was two when he arrived in Thailand with his missionary parents.

 

 

He went through the Thai education system but it took until this year until he was declared Thai. He then renounced his US citizenship as he had promised to do. Udom is followed by thousands of people - especially Thais - who love his quirky humor and posts about life in the north - all delivered in local dialect.

 

Udom said that up till now he used his US passport, Thai driver's licence and he had a "pink card" for the last two years for ID purposes.

 

 

He sent Thaivisa confirmation of his loss of US citizenship last month.

 

So what is the first use he plans to get out of his Thai ID card?:

 

"Unless there's something unforeseen, like a traffic ticket, I plan to get a Thai passport first thing with it," he quipped.

 

Thaivisa asked him how he had referred to himself over the years especially when asked the ubiquitous questions "pen khon chart arai" or "maa jaak nay" about his nationality or where he is from.

 

He said: "The Thai people have always made me feel so wanted and so much a part of Thai society that I never really felt like I was a "farang". So I guess, never mind how I used to describe myself. How I describe myself now is, คนไทย (khon thai) - a Thai person.

 

In reference to his sister he said: "My sister got her Thai nationality just over 10 years ago by virtue of being born in Thailand. Her name is Fongchan Suksaneh".

 

And the likeable man's parting shot?:

 

"She's younger than me and that's probably all she wants me to say about her age".

 

The Facebook post about his ID card was viewed 14,000 times and 1,800 people left their congratulatory comments.
 

Source: Facebook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-14

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good luck to him.

 

thankfully i come from a country that doesn't  require its citizens to have an ID card.

How much coverage does this bloke get, it's a bit OTT

6 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

I never really felt like I was a "farang"

It doesn't matter how you feel, on looks alone you will always be a "farang"

Shock horror, man who lives his whole life in a country and goes through the school system, speaks the local language with a regional accent

It's never been heard of before!!!???? , only a gazillion times in the last 50 years across the world

 

Edited March 14, 20206 yr by Canuck1966

poor guy. he made a huge mistake.

20 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Former US citizen and now Thai funnyman goes with parents to get his Thai ID card

first time he gets in trouble with the wrong thai cop or even the wrong thai, then see where his pseudo thainess gets him

18 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

good luck to him.

 

thankfully i come from a country that doesn't  require its citizens to have an ID card.

So am I

Why didn’t he keep dual citizenship? Is there a logical reason or is he just a bit dim?

Thai funnyman? Has he got a tour coming up as he seems to be on here every otherday

2 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

Why didn’t he keep dual citizenship? Is there a logical reason or is he just a bit dim?

He had to pay a decent amount to renounce his US citizenship too

Over 80k if I remember

If he is so Patriotic to Thailand, then why did he wait until he was too old for the Thai Army Draft Lottery?

1 minute ago, exparte said:

If he is so Patriotic to Thailand, then why did he wait until he was too old for the Thai Army Draft Lottery?

I was NOT the one that waited, just so you know.  I will glady serve my country to make up for an oportunity that I was never given when I was young.

19 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

Why didn’t he keep dual citizenship? Is there a logical reason or is he just a bit dim?

From the OP:

 

"He went through the Thai education system... "

4 minutes ago, Farang Muang Phrae said:

I was NOT the one that waited, just so you know.  I will glady serve my country to make up for an oportunity that I was never given when I was young.

Interesting response ! Maybe it is  brave to abandon official identity of one nationality in favor of that which you choose to identify with now but it is unlikely that general Thai society  will  see you as any other than a  farang. I have extended family that despite being born and bred in Thailand  with mixed ethnic parents and who present as  blonde caucasion are viewed by the wider  community as curious foreign.

His parents' missionary position explains it all.

It’s quite natural to want to feel patriotic towards a place or country. As he doesn’t have any emotional connection to the U.S. , seems normal for him to adopt Thailand as his own. 

 

Personally I would never bow down to this country’s establishment, no matter how long I live here. And I would always encourage my children  to question what exactly Thai society tells them and to whom and what they should be loyal to. 

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

It doesn't matter how you feel, on looks alone you will always be a "farang"

 

One look at him and Thai people will try to ask him for 'passport please' instead of 'Thai ID please'.

 

If he travels out of Thailand, nobody in other countries will believe he's 'Thai' maybe even thinking that his passport is a fake.

 

I really wonder why he needed to relinquish his US nationality which is one of the most coveted in the world and reflects his true identity.

 

Alas, East Asians can assimilate readily into Thai society but not a westerner.

Edited March 14, 20206 yr by EricTh

1 hour ago, lemonjelly said:

Why didn’t he keep dual citizenship? Is there a logical reason or is he just a bit dim?

I think the latter is nearest to the truth.

 

....he even paid good money for the privilege of being dim!

Proof that brainwashing can work on anyone....... 

He will have to praise thailand to get anywhere with this approach.  He should wake up and see how his fellow expats are being treated.

1 hour ago, Farang Muang Phrae said:

I was NOT the one that waited, just so you know.  I will glady serve my country to make up for an oportunity that I was never given when I was young.

What are the pros and cons of you giving up your dual citizenship? It’s just that I feel that your judgement has been clouded by patriotism to Thailand.

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

I really wonder why he needed to relinquish his US nationality which is one of the most coveted in the world and reflects his true identity.

It clearly doesn't reflect his true identity though does it.  Never has.

 

Not that hard to understand, good luck to the guy.  Lots of unneccessary bitterness in here (as usual).

 

"They **** you up, your mum and dad.   

    They may not mean to, but they do.   

They fill you with the faults they had

    And add some extra, just for you."

                         "This Be The Verse", Philip Larkin.

 

 

3 hours ago, Farang Muang Phrae said:

I was NOT the one that waited, just so you know.  I will glady serve my country to make up for an oportunity that I was never given when I was young.

Touche.

 

Good to see you here.

 

Rooster

Way to go fella. 
 

A lot of us like to tease you but it’s in good fun. 

Tens of thousands of people get citizenship around the globe every year.  Why is it news, is this a first for Thailand?

8 hours ago, lemonjelly said:

Why didn’t he keep dual citizenship? Is there a logical reason or is he just a bit dim?

My wife and son have dual Thai/Australian citizenship and aren't required to give one up.  Maybe it's just a requirement for farangs.

24 minutes ago, Thechook said:

My wife and son have dual Thai/Australian citizenship and aren't required to give one up.  Maybe it's just a requirement for farangs.

He didn't have to, he just has been saying for a long time that he wanted to be Thai and if they gave it to him, he would renounce his US citizenship.

Paid a fair bit to do it too, what a bonehead!

9 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

good luck to him.

 

thankfully i come from a country that doesn't  require its citizens to have an ID card.

Good for him! US doesn't require carrying an ID card either. Without one you cannot

• Vote
• Get service from your own bank in person
• Enter  a courthouse or Government buildings
• Drive a Car
• Mail anything but a small envelope
• Purchase something with a credit card at many stores
• Get on an Airplane
• Guarantee you won't be detained by Police or Border Control for looking black or hispanic, or even for entering your own home. Many US citizens have been deported to Mexico. Or arrested when they forgot keys and tried the window
• Access Medical Care or visit a sick relative in a Hospital
• Sign most any kind of contract
• Check into a Hotel

So what is the purpose of indulging a myth of freedom from ID cards when everyone is monitored by much more sophisticated means? Perhaps surviving in a cabin in the woods Unabomber style.