National —
On October 29, 2024, Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced Cabinet approval for new guidelines to expedite nationality and legal status processes for 483,626 long-term residents.
The National Security Council (NSC) proposed this initiative, which aims to provide citizenship to people who migrated to Thailand over decades, as well as children born in the country.
Currently, around 825,635 individuals from ethnic and minority groups live in Thailand, with 483,626 still awaiting legal status determinations.
NSC spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap explained that the new guidelines will reduce processing steps to address these cases more efficiently, potentially avoiding a 44-year wait.
The initiative, which builds upon existing Cabinet resolutions from January 2021, targets four main groups: those who migrated from 1984-1999 (120,000 people); migrants from 2005-2011 (215,000); children born to ethnic minority groups (29,000); and children of non-registered individuals born in Thailand (113,000).
The policy change allows for official implementation by the Ministry of Interior within 30 to 60 days. “Granting citizenship to these long-term residents will enhance economic participation, provide legal status, and ensure record-keeping for Thailand’s population,” Jirayu added.