Path to citizenship strewn with barriers
Thai-born children of migrants can wait years for a result, writes Penchan Charoensuthipan
Susubee’s hopes of being granted Thai citizenship dimmed when a procedure he had followed for two years came to nought, because of a mistake that was not his own.
Samut Prakan authorities told him recently that one of the documents needed for his application had gone missing while a state official who handled his request was transferred.
He could do nothing but re-submit the document and start the process over again. It is his only hope. “I’ve heard the document was forwarded to an assistant district chief for consideration,” said the 25-year-old student of Ramkhamhaeng University.
For the descendants of immigrants, obtaining citizenship can be a lengthy process. Up to 100,000 children of migrants are thought to be eligible to start the process. They can face waiting times from months to years before they hear the result.
Despite the tendency for officialdom to drag out the process, migrant families can perhaps take heart from the number of citizenship applications granted so far: several tens of thousands have been approved since 2008.
Susubee, among those queuing for Thai citizenship, recently petitioned the Lawyers Council of Thailand to help him in his fight. Under the 2008 Citizenship Act, foreign children who were born in Thailand before Feb 26, 1992, no matter whether their parents entered the country legally, have the right to apply for Thai nationality.
She or he must first be listed on a civil registration database that gives evidence of their birth and address in the country. The law also further stipulates that an applicant must be a good person or make contributions to the country.
These conditions should not be a hindrance to the nationality-granting procedure, said Surapong Kongchantuk, chairman of a panel working on human rights under the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Those who do not commit crimes should be considered good people under this law, he said. “If they behave well and have never caused trouble, that should be considered as contributions to Thai society,” he said.
Susubee, who lives in Samut Prakan, is studying at university. Along with his father, he also helps bring in an income by selling roti, a type of Indian bread. His father, Arumbee, who arrived in Thailand 33 years ago, said he has always instilled in his five children the need to make an honest living.
But when Susubee applied for Thai citizenship, officials cited many reasons for rejection including a claim his parents are illegal immigrants. Susubee admits this is true, but says it should not serve as a hindrance, as he has lived in Thailand all his life. Despite the problems, his family has gained some support from Thais. Among them is an elderly woman who leases them their house. She acted as a witness for Susubee in his application for citizenship. “She walks with difficulty because she’s 80-years-old, but she’s kind to us. She’s seen all of my children grow up,” Arumbee said.
He still clings to the dream that his eldest son will become a Thai citizen. The status means a lots to the family as it could secure a better life for Susubee, a first-year student majoring in law.
Like Susubee, Ameena Ahmed, 19, a Bangkok resident, badly wants Thai nationality. A Kasetsart University student, she said she and and her siblings are confident in their ability to find jobs and contribute as citizens, but they fear they will be rejected by employers because they do not have Thai identity cards.
Mr Surapong is aware of their worries and is doing what he can to help. His panel is giving legal advice to 40 families who have applied for citizenship. Under basic human rights principles, descendants of immigrants should be granted access to education, health care and work like other Thais, he said.
Susubee is making another attempt to overcome the obstacles thrown in his path by officialdom, as it is his only hope. ‘‘All I can do now is wait for the chance to become a Thai citizen,” he said.