BANGKOK (NNT) - The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has stated that Bangkok is home to over 10 million people, including a hidden population. The term refers to people who reside, study, or work in a province without transferring their household registration.

 

The BMA further noted that despite the availability of comprehensive medical services under the National Health Security Act, a segment of the Thai population with registration status issues has been unable to access these rights.

 

To address the issue in accordance with the government’s policy, Sirindhorn Hospital, Wetchakarunrasm Hospital, the Central Hospital, and the Central Institute of Forensic Science are providing services to collect samples for DNA testing. 

 

This service targets Thais in Bangkok, particularly in the eastern and central zones, who face registration status issues.

 

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) stated that the collection of DNA samples for registration status is a significant step in assisting Thais with registration rights issues.

 

According to data from the NHSO, most of these individuals are from vulnerable groups, including the homeless and those without rights, often due to unreported births, lost documents, or lack of a citizen ID number. 

 

The office also highlighted that in Bangkok, there are over 40,000 Thais who cannot prove their rights and more than 2,000 homeless individuals, making them a key target group for assistance.

 

By Naark Rojanasuvan

 

Full story: NNT 2024-01-24

 

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Are they saying a DNA test will prove someone is a Thai?

57 minutes ago, anterian said:

Are they saying a DNA test will prove someone is a Thai?

Not entirely clear but I understand the issues - complex & longstanding - that they are trying to address.

 

A minor example in my (very large) Thai Khmer family: When my b/f's oldest full-blood sister was born some 45 years ago, the government was far away they do nothing for us so why bother with registration? When the next child a boy arrived 3 years later (as all the later ones did, always on time), they thought perhaps they should do something so they - according to family lore rather than law - registered the baby boy and his 3-year-old sister together as twins. And "twins" they have remained ever since. Whether that's how they're actually recorded in the government computers (probably non-existent then) is unknown. Both parents are illiterate so couldn't tell anyway ...

13 hours ago, anterian said:

Are they saying a DNA test will prove someone is a Thai?

I guess it's all they have to prove anything, past records are sketchy or even non-existent to say the least...

this could go back a few generations.

Also handy to have DNA available for crime solving purposes.

An off topic post trolling about Trump contravening our Community Standards has been removed.

Thus is opened a whole new can of worms....