Being Thai, ON THE FLY
Stateless Mong Thongdee was 12 when he briefly found global fame for winning a national paper plane contest. Now 20, he spoke to Life about his continued battle to become a citizen of the country of his birth
Once a stateless boy, today Mong Thongdee remains stateless as a man. Eight years ago when he was 12, Mong was in every newspaper’s headlines when the Chiang Mai-born son of Myanmar migrant workers won a national contest for paper planes and was chosen to represent Thailand at a competition in Japan.
As a non-Thai person with no identity card, Mong wasn’t eligible to travel, let alone to compete on behalf of Thailand. But after being crowned national champion, the government stepped in, issued a temporary passport and allowed the boy to travel to compete in the All-Japan Origami Airplane Contest in Chiba, where he won first prize in the team category and third prize in the individual class.
He became a Thai national hero, even though he’s not officially Thai.
Today a grown man of 20, and still with no identity card, Mong has moved on from flying a paper plane to flying drones. He now works as a drone pilot trainer in Chiang Mai.
Behind his gentle smile and respectful demeanour, one can sense the sadness when he speaks. Mong is among the 100,000 stateless people living in the North, most of them belonging to ethnic minorities. Most of them were born in Thailand but have not been granted Thai citizenship for several reasons, restricting their access to social welfare and their right to free travel, formal employment and vote.
For Mong, the situation is more heartbreaking due to the promises the government made to him as a child hero: the promises to not just offer a scholarship till he completes his bachelor’s degree but to make him a Thai national.
“I have forgiven the people that made promises to me that I would be given Thai nationality and a scholarship,” said Mong, who was recently in Bangkok for the fold-and-fly competition at the Impact, Muang Thong Thani.
“Looking back, I just feel that adults should never promise a kid something they are not sure they can deliver. In close to a decade, it has been my parents who have largely supported my education.
“I did feel bad when things did not pan out as expected, but I bear no hard feelings. To my knowledge, the media did follow up on the developments in my case, but as the years went by, the whole issue just hit a dead end.”
Mong, who despite the odds set against him has adopted a positive approach towards life, had this to say about what has transpired in his life since capturing the hearts of many across the globe with his story.
“Being featured in both local and international media built awareness about stateless people that no one else had done before,” said Mong, who is currently completing his 11th grade through non-formal education.
“On a more personal level, I was able to get to know more people, especially those actively working towards helping the stateless in the country to have a future, and the media, who are also there to help when issues arise. Today, I have a better knowledge about laws pertaining to the stateless that govern this land.
“Everywhere I go today people know me, I have become a role model for my generation of stateless youth.”
While on the topic, Mong talked about the three stateless youngsters who recently competed at the fold-and-fly competition at Impact, Muang Thong. While Ong-sar, 10, Sangkarn, 14, and Kongkam, 12, were not able to make an impression during the competition, the trio did create a sensation by doing so on a Non-Thai National ID Card (0). All thanks to Mong’s efforts to pull all his resources together to achieve this feat for the boys from his old school. As Mong was once in their shoes, he felt driven to do everything in his power to see them compete in Bangkok.
“I used to teach these boys how to make and fly paper planes at Ban Huay Sai School, so when they did well in the preliminary rounds of the competition in Chiang Mai, I was determined to have them compete in the finals in Bangkok,” said Mong.
“When I learned the boys, who were born in Myanmar, did not have any type of ID on them, I aired my grievances on my Facebook page after district officials showed no interest to help arrange ID and travel permit documents for them to leave Chiang Mai to compete in Bangkok.
“After a handful of local television channels aired my story on the evening news, I began to receive help. Researchers and academics that I had kept in touch with for the last decade also chipped in to help. When they finally received the necessary documents, I was elated. I felt a sense of accomplishment to have played an instrumental role in these young lives, offering them an opportunity most stateless children don’t get a shot at.”
In the last decade, Mong has focused on realising his passion for drones. He receives a small stipend whenever he gets clients interested in using his expertise, otherwise he helps his parents run a small construction company.
Mong said that while he continues to use the NonThai National ID Card (0), which offers him some benefits, especially when it comes to running his daily life, it is the constant hassle of applying for travel permits and not being allowed to purchase his own land which makes him feel bad about not having Thai nationality. Moreover, he said carrying a Thai ID would benefit him greatly if he is to pursue a career as a commercial drone pilot where he would need to have clearance to enter certain places with reliable identification on him.
In the latest development to achieving his Thai ID, Mong told us that HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has taken his desire to become a Thai national as a special consideration case.
“I feel elated for the honour that this has given to me not just myself, but my family. After completing my senior year, I will be studying for my bachelor’s degree, which should then set the pace for my obtaining a Thai ID.”
When asked if going through all he has so far was worth it, Mong affirmed with a nod of the head, saying: “Definitely. It was a great honour to represent Thailand back as a 12-year-old. The experience spurred an interest in flying origami planes, an outdoor activity that in turn keeps young people from experimenting with drugs.
“Frankly, if I did not have this experience, I would probably not be studying. I would not have much to look forward to in life. This has also made me a role model to the youth, and a more disciplined person.”
I HAVE BECOME A ROLE MODEL FOR MY GENERATION OF STATELESS YOUTH