PUBLISHED : 2 Nov 2024 at 04:00
The government has insisted it will not grant citizenship to foreigners engaged in shady businesses after it announced plans to issue Thai citizenship to more than 480,000 ethnic people.
Jirayu Houngsub, spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, said on Friday that the cabinet had approved the National Security Council’s (NSC) proposal to shorten the process for granting Thai nationality to around 483,000 people.
Mr Jirayu said the plan aims to facilitate applicants in the state’s database for over 30 years rather than considering granting citizenship to foreigners involved in shady businesses and transnational crimes.
According to him, around 825,000 people submitted applications from 1992 to 2023. Of them, 324,000 were granted citizenship, 483,000 remained in limbo, and many passed away during the prolonged security checking process.
Mr Jirayu said the plan aims to simplify the steps and conditions of citizenship issuance, explaining that the current procedure, which involves manual record checks, would take up to 44 years to complete the process for the remaining applicants.
He suggested that the process can be expedited speedily with current advanced technology, such as digitalised data collection and biometric systems.
According to the NSC, the first batch of the remaining applicants, around 340,000, has already completed identity verification and data collection. They will initially receive permanent residency status and wait five more years before they can apply for Thai nationality.
Their political rights, such as the right to vote and run for election, will be granted five years after their naturalisation.
The second group consists of around 143,000 people who were born in Thailand from members of the first group and have official birth records from various locations across the country. Mr Jirayu added that over a million people, primarily from ethnic groups, have already been granted Thai nationality.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the approved proposal will help unlock the full potential of their contribution to Thailand, as those granted nationality and permanent residence will be able to move freely within Thailand to seek educational and employment opportunities and meet Thailand’s dynamic labour needs.
Without such status, stateless people in Thailand face challenges travelling to other provinces for employment opportunities. Under the approved proposal, processing times for nationality and permanent residence will be shortened, and the criteria streamlined. Applicants must demonstrate loyalty to Thailand, good conduct, and no nationality with any other country.