Indians in thailand demand dual citizenship

[george]

Bangkok, Oct 10 (UNI) The Indian community in Thailand today demanded that they be granted dual citizenship.

At a question-answer session with Commerce Minister Arun Jaitley at a meeting of Indian and Thai businessmen addressed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leading Indians settled in Thailand complained that they were discriminated against when the government announced the dual citizenship policy early this year.

They wanted that the government should immediately amend the rules and grant them dual citizenhip.

The Commerce Minister assured them that he would pass on their request to External Affairs Yashwant Sinha.

There are some 80,000 Indians in Thailand who have become Thai nationals.

In January this year, the Prime Minister had, while addressing the ''Bharatiya Pravasi Diwas'' in New Delhi, announced the government's decision to grant dual citizenship to Indians settled in eight countries.

-- http://www.deepikaglobal.com/latestnews.asp?ncode=7786