Thailand’s cabinet has endorsed a new policy that will grant Thai citizenship to more than 483,000 migrants and ethnic minorities who have either resided in Thailand for an extended period or were born there.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra revealed the decision following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, aimed at resolving persistent issues related to citizenship and residency and enhancing the economy by allowing these individuals to work without bureaucratic obstacles.
The initiative, put forward by the National Security Council (NSC), accelerates the acquisition of legal status for ethnic minorities living within national borders.
The Prime Minister noted that there are 825,635 such individuals in Thailand, with 483,626 of them pending status ratification.
A government spokesperson, Jirayu Huangsab, noted that this policy update replaces a previous resolution from 2021.
He highlighted that Thailand has seen significant migration flows, with the earliest arrivals in 1984 and others during the period from 2005 to 2011.
The spokesperson added that the new policy is critical for Thai-born children of minority groups and unregistered migrants, for whom status processing could otherwise extend up to 44 years, according to Mr. Jirayu.
The revised policy will streamline the eligibility verification process, allowing candidates to self-certify their own qualifications and criminal records rather than undergoing protracted scrutiny by various authorities.
Moreover, local entities, rather than central bodies, will evaluate and approve status requests. This change is projected to yield economic gains by enabling these inhabitants to legally participate in the economy, Mr. Jirayu explained.
“These 483,000 people have been living in Thailand for a long time, work regularly, and hold important documents.”
“Therefore, the government believes it is essential to formalize their status so they can travel freely and help stimulate the economy,” Mr. Jirayu said. “This is expected to benefit various sectors,” he concluded.