One man's struggle to become a citizen

UBON RATCHATHANI: -- An American passport holder who claims he was born in Thailand 38 years ago complained yesterday that a district chief has been dragging his feet in finalising his naturalisation.

Jansamorn Chaisak, 38, said he had passed all the procedures to prove he was born a Thai citizen to his Thai father, Decha Chaisak, who later received American citizenship, with his Laotian wife.

Jansamorn said the chief of Natan sub-district, Mahannop Kanchanavisit, would not add his name to the house registration of a house in Moo Song village in Tambon Palan, completing the last step in his naturalisation process.

Jansamorn said he had passed all the tests to prove his Thai nationality three years ago and submitted a request for his name to be added to the registration, but no progress had been made since.

He yesterday filed a complaint with the sub-district office, demanding an explanation in seven days.

He said his father was born with the name Decha Thayasut in Tambon Palam. Jansamorn said he went to school and finished Grade 2 there in 1978 before moving to the US with his parents.

He said he had been working for a foundation during the past ten years and found it inconvenient to keep renewing his visa.

He said he had proven his Thai nationality to both the Foreign Ministry and the Immigration Bureau, but Mahannop was still stalling on the final step in his naturalisation.

Jansamorn said he even gave Mahannop a transcript of an interview his father received in the United States.

But Mahannop said yesterday he had to question Jansamorn's father in person before he could add Jansamorn's name to the household registration.

--The Nation 2004-07-09

Presumably he is not offering enough of the grey and purple paper?

Not that is should be necessary.

Perhaps a baht or two of gold will do the trick?

hahaha.i absolutely agree with astral.This guy might be a KEE-NGOK one who doesn't wanna waste even 1 baht.