Thais Urged To Address Problem Of Stateless People

Thailand urged to address the problem of stateless people

BANGKOK: -- A leading law expert has urged the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to seriously address the issue of the country’s stateless people who have lived in Thailand for decades with no basic rights.

The prime minister hasn't assigned any minister in his new cabinet to be responsible for this, the Thammasat University law academic, Prof. Dr. Phanthip Kanchanajitra Saisunthorn complained to reporters on Monday.

Dr. Phanthip is a member of a government joint committee appointed to draw a strategic plan to deal with stateless people.

She said she was relieved that last week's Cabinet meeting had approved the main principles of the committee’s plan.

''But we have not made much progress in putting the plan into action, partly because the prime minister has not appointed any new cabinet minister to carry out on the policy,'' said Dr.Phanthip.

The joint committee may need to petition the prime minister and the interior minister urging the appointment of a minister to take charge, she said.

''We want the work to progress quickly and effectively because stateless people face daily difficulties. They are still hopeful that the government will help them,'' the academic said.

There have been several cases of stateless people who have requested help from the joint committee, she said.

One of them, Ayu Namthep, a lecturer at Payap University has lived in Thailand for the past 50 years as a stateless person, even though she has taught music at the campus for 26 years.

One of the country’s top five mountain climbers has missed many important events because he has no nationality.

--TNA 2005-04-25