High Flier Boy, Passport or Not?

[webfact]

Its a disgrace!

[webfact]

Thanks mods for changing the topic title The kid deserves it!

[Scott]

The title of the topic has been changed. Shakespeare I'm not, but I hope it makes sense since this decision (hopefully) may change again.

[WaiWai]

Thanks, Scott. (Can you beam this kid up, over and back, please?)

Bangkok Post has an online poll running:

Quick Poll

Should the Interior Ministry issue the certificate to allow a stateless boy to travel overseas?

yes

no

i don't know

Please go there to vote if following this story (www.bangkokpost.com/news) .

[Sisaketmike]

Thai Foreign Ministry would issue a temporary passport for a Thai-born Burmese boy Mong Thongdee to enable him to represent Thailand in Origami Airplane contest in Japan, ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

As requested by the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Ministry would issue a one-year passport for the boy and he could use it to travel from Thailand to Japan and vice versa, said the foreign ministry's spokesperson Wimon Kidchob.

The 12-year-old Mong was born to a couple of Burmese migrant workers in northern Chiang Mai province. He received Thai education from primary school in the province but did not obtain Thai citizenship due to his alien parents.

His origami plane could fly for 12.5 minutes in the air, top of the Thai local contest. Japan Origami Plane invited him to join the contest in Japan but the interior ministry initially objected his traveling for security reason.

The interior ministry changed the decision after his story was broken into public by local media. The ministry reconsidered the boy's request to build good image for Thailand.

Mong would be the third non-Thai national who would carry Thai passport to abroad and has the right to return into the kingdom.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/09/02...al_30111282.php

-- The Nation 02/09/09

Dear politicians,

It's an old but still- for me- not really understandable issue. Doesn't born in Thailand mean that the boy should be Thai? I know a couple Sri Lankan/ Indian, with three kids. All of them born in Thailand, but stateless. At least the mother is working for the Thai government, teaching English at a primary school. Sorry, let me guess, or don't you work for the government, if you're working for a government school? I'm sorry.......

[webfact]

Thanks, Scott. (Can you beam this kid up, over and back, please?)

Bangkok Post has an online poll running:

Quick Poll

Should the Interior Ministry issue the certificate to allow a stateless boy to travel overseas?

yes

no

i don't know

Please go there to vote if following this story (www.bangkokpost.com/news) .

Voted already!

That boy was born in Thailand and he is stateless because his parents are not Thai?

Unbelievable!

[angiud]

His origami plane could fly for 12.5 minutes in the air, top of the Thai local contest.

TV news talk about 12 seconds (much more understandable). 12 minutes is impossible.

[JoeThePoster]

I am not a great paper plane builder myself but how the ))%T* can you make a paper plane fly for 12.5 minutes??? I would love to see that!

Silly that children can be considered as a a security risk but that is the way we are going now!

I hope he will win and become "Hero of Thailand"!!!

The current world record for flying a paper plan is about 28 seconds.

As always The Nation seems able to get the facts wrong.

Believe they probably mean 12.5 seconds.

Actually, a paper crane bearing a certain individuals signature has been flying over the southern provinces since Dec 2004. There are no reports that it landed anywhere. That is the real world record.

[edgarfriendly]

lets hope the origami champ doesnt question his wages or living conditions and ends up on fire eh.

ef

[Lancelot]

"As an alien, he may not be allowed back in to Thailand if he leaves the country," Provincial Administration Department director general Wongsak Sawaspanich said yesterday.

In the case of the boy its one of the most stupidest comments ever made from a politician! Shame on you. Mr. Wongsak!

I think its just typical bureaucratic think-much easier to say no. If there is a 99% chance of success and 1% chance of failure, then cover your butt and dream up some byzantine like reason to decline. After all, its only a Burmese kid...

Now lets see if there is REAL uproar from the Thai public. ( And I sincerely hope there is)

[FatherF]

An absolute disgrace! The boy should be allowed to go! And, 90% of the people that voted agree!

FF

[Jingthing]

Its a shame and a disgrace and reflects poorly on Thailand. On the other hand, I think most countries have the same kind of absurd injustices happening everyday.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Jingthing

[Scott]

From the highest to the lowest, they seem to have trouble with passports.....Thaksin and this boy.

No need to express in which order you would put them.

[lensta]

An absolute disgrace! The boy should be allowed to go! And, 90% of the people that voted agree!

FF

Unfortunately the more people that support this kids, the less likely the government departments are to change their ruling.

It will be a case of "they can't tell us what to do"

[webfact]

An absolute disgrace! The boy should be allowed to go! And, 90% of the people that voted agree!

FF

Unfortunately the more people that support this kids, the less likely the government departments are to change their ruling.

It will be a case of "they can't tell us what to do"

there are a few who can change that ruling without "losing face"...

[churchill]

Interior: Mong can go to Japan

Writer: BangkokPost.com

Published: 3/09/2009 at 03:36 PM In a reverse of its stance, the Interior Ministry on Thursday sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry, saying it has no objection to Mong Thongdee, a stateless boy from Chiang Rai, being allowed to leave for Japan to take part in the Origami Airplane contest in Chiba from Sept 19-20.

On Wednesday, the 12-year-old boy flew to Bangkok from Chiang Rai to filed a request with the Interior Ministry for permission to attend the paper airplane contest, but the ministry refused him an official certificate to travel overseas.

On the contrary, the Foreign Ministry agreed to give him a temporary passport to allow him to represent Thailand in the contest.

continued

-- Bangkok Post 03/09/09

[JayBangkok]

I disagree.

Thailand is surrounded by enemies, who are armed to the teeth and ready to invade Thailand for the slightest reason. How do we know that this kid would not have divulged precious Thai som tom recipes and other vital information to unfriendly powers?

I always love it when a boogeyman foreigner is invoked by the powers that be in LOS. The Burmese, the Cambodians, foreigners taking over the rice paddies, foreigners buying Thai property through nominees etc.

All the <deleted> that happens in Thailand is brought on by................drumroll please! Thais!

(This is in no way aimed at the massive majority of decent Thai folks. Just the turds who seem to do what the f#ck they like and get away with it.)

Let them have the som tam recipes, they will get the squits and not be able to invade

Edited September 3, 2009 by JayBangkok

[webfact]

Interior: Mong can go to Japan

Writer: BangkokPost.com

Published: 3/09/2009 at 03:36 PM In a reverse of its stance, the Interior Ministry on Thursday sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry, saying it has no objection to Mong Thongdee, a stateless boy from Chiang Rai, being allowed to leave for Japan to take part in the Origami Airplane contest in Chiba from Sept 19-20.

On Wednesday, the 12-year-old boy flew to Bangkok from Chiang Rai to filed a request with the Interior Ministry for permission to attend the paper airplane contest, but the ministry refused him an official certificate to travel overseas.

On the contrary, the Foreign Ministry agreed to give him a temporary passport to allow him to represent Thailand in the contest.

continued

-- Bangkok Post 03/09/09

good news - he is Thai then and not stateless.... do I get that right?

Edited September 3, 2009 by webfact

[Rumfoord]

That boy was born in Thailand and he is stateless because his parents are not Thai?

Unbelievable!

his parents are burmese, that makes him to a burmese too. in that case you can not blame thailand that the boy is in a limbo of statelessness.

thailand like many other states in the world doesn't have a jus soli that grant citizenship to every person born on the soil of the country. but a jus sanguinis, citizenship is based on descent. so is the the PM of thailand, born in england and went to school in england, still thai because his parents are thai.

many other countries in the world have high security measures to prevent that persons like the boys parents reach the soil or grounds of these countries in the first place.

[webfact]

That boy was born in Thailand and he is stateless because his parents are not Thai?

Unbelievable!

his parents are burmese, that makes him to a burmese too. in that case you can not blame thailand that the boy is in a limbo of statelessness.

thailand like many other states in the world doesn't have a jus soli that grant citizenship to every person born on the soil of the country. but a jus sanguinis, citizenship is based on descent. so is the the PM of thailand, born in england and went to school in england, still thai because his parents are thai.

many other countries in the world have high security measures to prevent that persons like the boys parents reach the soil or grounds of these countries in the first place.

trust what you state but have a look to America into the file of a certain US president... Yes I know, we are in Thailand...

[TAWP]

That boy was born in Thailand and he is stateless because his parents are not Thai?

Unbelievable!

his parents are burmese, that makes him to a burmese too. in that case you can not blame thailand that the boy is in a limbo of statelessness.

thailand like many other states in the world doesn't have a jus soli that grant citizenship to every person born on the soil of the country. but a jus sanguinis, citizenship is based on descent. so is the the PM of thailand, born in england and went to school in england, still thai because his parents are thai.

many other countries in the world have high security measures to prevent that persons like the boys parents reach the soil or grounds of these countries in the first place.

Correct, only very few 'immigrant built' nations have automatic citizenship for kids born on their soil, no matter their parents legal status.

[TAWP]

trust what you state but have a look to America into the file of a certain US president... Yes I know, we are in Thailand...

No idea what you are referring to as Obama was born on US soil. And to an American mom.

And the US grants automatic citizenship to anyone born in the country, including kids of illegals.

[churchill]

From same article "Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul said yesteyrday if the boy wanted to compete in Japan, he had to represent Burma as a Burmese national.

Mong was born in Thailand to Burmese migrant workers and has been refused Thai citizenship.'

[Jingthing]

trust what you state but have a look to America into the file of a certain US president... Yes I know, we are in Thailand...

No idea what you are referring to as Obama was born on US soil. And to an American mom.

And the US grants automatic citizenship to anyone born in the country, including kids of illegals.

Of course. There is an insane "birthers" movement in the US promoting the lie that Obama is not American (and by implication a foreign enemy agent working to bring down the country). Its Thailand related in the sense that if you tell a big lie enough times you will actually get people to believe in it. Did I tell you I can make any topicThai related? 55555

Edited September 3, 2009 by Jingthing

[topben]

So glad the Foreign Ministry finally responded to the uproar on ThaiVisa about this matter!

meritocracy and this forum at work at last? hope it's not the last. now, just do it, kid. thailand's image and yours is in the balance

[noahvail]

Just voted in the Bangkok Post poll. The results of that poll so far are 89.3% in favor of letting the kid go to Japan.

I wonder what the poll would be like if the question were, "Should we give the kid Thai citizenship" ?

[webfact]

Just voted in the Bangkok Post poll. The results of that poll so far are 89.3% in favor of letting the kid go to Japan.

I wonder what the poll would be like if the question were, "Should we give the kid Thai citizenship" ?

same because it has touched the heart of many people. Humanity above politics! Even in my Soi they talk about that "Thai" kid!

He's a kid but I am not so sure if he were an adult...

Edited September 3, 2009 by webfact

[Jingthing]

They really ought to change the laws to allow all such children born and raised in Thailand to become Thai. Otherwise, they just create a class of hostiles. Being stateless is a horrible state to be in, even for those who never wish to cross any border.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Jingthing

[churchill]

Lawyers Council sues interior minister for refusing to help highflier Burmese boy get passport

The Lawyers Council of Thailand on Thursday filed a complaint with the Administrative Court against Interior Minister Chawarat Chanveerakul on grounds that he refused to help a Thai-born boy secure a temporary passport.

The council's lawyer Nititorn Lumlua represented Mong Thongdee, 12, in this case.

Though born and growing up in Thailand, Mong has never held Thai nationality because both his parents are Burmese.

Mong wanted the Thai passport to travel Japan where he was expected to represent Thailand in an origami Airplane Contest.

Mong was invited to compete in Japan after his paper-plane design stayed airborne for more than 12 minutes to win a local contest.

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/30111...ter-for-refusin

-- The Nation 03/09/09

[churchill]

Lawyers Council sues interior minister

video http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/n...8&cateid=13