Drop in Thailand's stateless population welcomed

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CITIZENSHIP
Drop in Thailand's stateless population welcomed
The Nation


Stateless people are seeking nationality and government assistance.

BANGKOK: -- A number of 18,773 stateless people in Thailand have been granted nationality over the last three years, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR).

Statistics shared by Thailand's Department of Provincial Administration (DoPA) processing nationality applications, show a total of 443,862 stateless persons recorded in the governmental database as of the end of October 2015.

"It’s very encouraging to see that people who faced difficulties in accessing civil status documentation, formal employment or health services as a result of their undefined legal status, are now recognised as Thai nationals and enjoy unrestricted access to rights and services as full members of the Thai society," said Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, UNHCR's Representative in Thailand.

UNHCR welcomes the strategy implemented by the Thai government establishing procedures for assessing the possibilities of permanent residency for persons who are found not to be Thai, as well as correlated schemes providing a framework for access to health and education.

The National Strategy on Administration of Legal Status and Rights of Persons launched in 2005 offers a framework for access to nationality, but streamlining the application procedure remains key to ensuring the timely processing of nationality applications of persons entitled to Thai nationality under the national legal framework.

According to the UNHCR, an estimated 10 million persons are stateless worldwide.

The agency has supported various initiatives aimed at facilitating access to nationality in Thailand’s northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Tak. In recent years UNHCR has worked with the authorities to reach out to people who face difficulties in proving their nationality and often live in remote areas. The agency supported capacity building programmes for nationality officers at district level and funded the deployment of mobile teams to remote villages.

"These figures and the commitment to the nationality application process at various levels of the national administration really show the potential for ending statelessness in Thailand," said Menikdiwela. "This is also the result of years of sustained efforts by civil society actors, research groups and civil servants of the Bureau of Registration Administration."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Drop-in-Thailands-stateless-population-welcomed-30274089.html

-- The Nation 2015-12-01

[Reigntax]

"Thai nationals and enjoy unrestricted access to rights and services as full members of the Thai society"

Just one small problem. Most rights are currently suspended for all members of Thai society. Well, except military and elitists but they are executive members of Thai society, I assume.

[frimu]

It's nice to hear some good news every now and then.