Dual Citizen - Tiger Woods

[astral]

It is only a few years since the Thai Government was falliing over themselves to give the golfer Tiger Wood Thai Citizenship.

What happens now?

Sorry Tiger, we don't want you!!

Massive loss of face...........................!!

[Phil Conners]

Come on now, you know laws don't apply to rich people here.

[Pepe']

No offense but any conversation that includes professional sports figures is, in my opinion as much as a waste to society as they are

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It is only a few years since the Thai Government was falliing over themselves to give the golfer Tiger Wood Thai Citizenship.

What happens now?

Sorry Tiger, we don't want you!!

Massive loss of face...........................!!

I don't think Tiger actually accepted the offered citizenship.

[GuestHouse]

Not only did Tiger Woods refuse the offer but when asked if he fealt American or Thai he replied, "How could I feel Thai, my mother was denied her birthrights by Thailand because she married my farther"

I'm a dual national (Not part Thai I might add) and I find the whole debate rediculous, I believe I can hold the best of both my herritages without a conflict, moreover, I believe the mixture adds a special flavour.

We are more than the sum of our parts.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Not only did Tiger Woods refuse the offer but when asked if he fealt American or Thai he replied, "How could I feel Thai, my mother was denied her birthrights by Thailand because she married my farther"

I'm a dual national (Not part Thai I might add) and I find the whole debate rediculous, I believe I can hold the best of both my herritages without a conflict, moreover, I believe the mixture adds a special flavour.

We are more than the sum of our parts.

He took an honorary doctorate from Kasetsart University, Doctor Tiger no less nowdays.

[alanw]

For Dr Pat Pong,

My understanding was that the cancellation of the ability to have dual citizenship applied only to those who hold both Thai and Malaysian passports.

What's your understanfin of this please?

Look forward to your comments.

Regards

[samran]

IMHO, my take on this would that at very least be unconstitutional given that current laws don't ban having Thai/other non-malaysian nationality.

The only other option would be to ban dual nationality totally, but that would create a raft of problems that existed up to the late 80's where thousands of expat Thais and their offspring were denied Thai nationality on the basis of picking up a foreign citizenship. Hence the reform to the nationality law in 2535 which in effect allowed dual nationality and returned those rights to that group of people.

Every time the 2 countries PM's have a meeting, the thai govt, not matter what political stripe, always talks about "banning" dual malaysian-thai nationality from the Thai side ( it is already "illegal" in Malaysia), but my guess is that there are some pretty substantial obstacles in doing this.

Issues like this are usually refered to some sort of government commitee to consider. From my experience, if they don't get very far beyond commitee level, it means that the costs of banning dual nationality far outweigh the gains. Additionally, as this issue was (again) recently referred to 2 ministries to consider (defense and interior), I'd bet that the inevitable power struggles between the ministries that follows will ensure that it stays at committee level.

My guess is that a committe would have decided that the ban actually wouldn't stop troubles in the south. As I said, it already is banned in malaysia, but many hundreds/thousands of Southern Thais somehow still have dual nationality, so obviously the Malaysians turn a blind eye to it. In reality, a ban changes nothing.

Additionally, it again strips many thousands of Thai's of their birthright, and unoffically at least, a ban would effect way to many hi-so families who have educated their children in the UK, US and Australia and have subsequenly gone on to aquire those nationalities too. So there would be effective opposition from that quarter too.

I'd expect that this issue to die down, the Thai elecorate to forget about it all, and then in 8 months, when the Thai and Malaysian PMs meet again, for the Thai PM to announce (again) that he will look at banning dual nationality. "Chairat" will again have a panic attack, posting way too many threads on this issue. I will again repond to every one of them, telling him and others not to stress.

And again, nothing will ever come of it.

[samran]

urgh! posted the same message twice!!