Ethnic minority settlers and their Thai-born children entitled to citizenship - NSC chief

People in ethnic minority groups who have settled in Thailand for a minimum of 15 years will be entitled to apply for Thai citizenship, in accordance with the cabinet’s resolution on Tuesday.

Secretary-general of the National Security Council, Chatchai Bangchuad, said today that these settlers, numbering about 340,000, and their children born in Thailand, numbering about 140,000, will be entitled to Thai nationality.

He added that migrant workers from neighbouring countries will not have the right to Thai citizenship, even though they have been living and working in the country for more than 15 years.

The NSC chief explained that it has been the policy of the Thai government over the past 40 years to grant Thai citizenship to these long-term settlers and their Thai-born children who cannot return to their home country, so they can assimilate into Thai society and enjoy the rights afforded to other Thais.

To apply for Thai citizenship, they are required to file a petition at the district offices where they have the domiciles. The screening process may take about a year, but the approval process will be shortened to only five days, said Chatchai.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the following groups are entitled to Thai citizenship:

· 120,000 people who settled in Thailand between 1984 and 1999.

· 215,000 who settled in the country between 2005 and 2011.

· 29,000 children of these two groups who were born in Thailand.

· 113,000 children born to undocumented parents.

Other requirements are that their names must appear on household registration documents, they have been issued with 13-digit ID cards, they must vow loyalty to Thailand and respect for the Thai democratic system and are unable to return to their home countries.