Thai Nationality

[middelman]

I found this on Thai League Football website:

African players Kone Mohammed (Chonburi), Sylla Moussa (Muang Thong United), Diouf Bireme(Muang Thong United) have applied for Thai citizenship.

I always thought getting Thai citizenship is a complicated procedure.

If I can prove to be able to kick a football more than 5 meters away,do I get Thai citizenship then?

No, really, are there official shortcuts for getting Thai nationality?

[lectito]

They might have applied for citizenship, but I'm guessing that at this stage they've just applied for permanent residence, with a view to eventually applying for citizenship... I suspect the webperson/media officer for the Thai Football website found it easier to just say 'applied for citizenship' rather than try to explain the permanent residency process.

The first player, Kone Mohomed, has been playing professional football in Thailand since 2003, so I'd imagine should meet the requirements for permanent residency. Sylla Moussa has been playing professionally in Thailand since beginning of 2007 (initally with the Royal Thai Army Football Club - which may mean access to bigwigs to write letters of support for his application). The timeframe is very tight, but he could well have submitted his application on the first day he became eligible. I don't know anything about Diouf Bireme's history.