Thai citizenship of Jewish community leader Kantor revoked
Anutin Charnvirakul, in his capacity the interior minister, has signed an announcement revoking the Thai citizenship of Yosef Chaim Kantor, an American who gained Thai citizenship through naturalisation.
The announcement states that Kantor was naturalised on April 11, 2013, in accordance with Section 10 of the Thai Citizenship Act B.E. 2508 (1965) and was issued a Thai ID card on May 2, 2013.
The Department of Special Investigation reported, however, that Kantor used his American passport to travel to Australia 16 consecutive times, including the latest trip on January 26 this year, in a way which might affect the security of Thailand, economically and socially. The use of his American passport also violated the conditions of applying for Thai citizenship, stated the ministerial announcement.
The announcement further states that Kantor was fully aware of the conditions when applying for Thai citizenship and that violations of such conditions may result in the withdrawal of the Thai citizenship, in accordance with Section 19 (2) of the Thai Citizenship Act.
“Allowing this violation to persist without taking any action may cause serious damage to the public, therefore, it is deemed fit for the interior minister to withdraw Canter’s Thai citizenship,” the announcement states.
It has been reported that Kantor is a leader of a Jewish community and the chairman of a Chabad movement in Thailand.