Our facilitator analyzed the students documents and backgrounds case by case to see how to process the nationality. It was good that backgrounds and documents of some students are helpful to process for Thai nationality under some particular laws, regulations and carbinet resolutions.
Some have to provide more documents, evidences and prepare family trees in order to analyze their cases more clearly. Some have to proof by DNA test which will cost some money. It used to be very expensive to do DNA test but fortunately there is a source of funding support from an NGOs available. Also the tests now can be done in Chiangrai which will help reduce the cost of travel to Chiagmai.
It was sad that some students were not qualified under any laws. The facilitaor suggested that it may be easier for them to go back and process the citizenship of their home country, as Thailnd does not have any policies for them. It may also be better for them to get jobs and work under ASEAN too. But they did not agree, they resisted that they are Thai.
One girl asked me what should she do when Thailand does not accept her and her home country does not either. She was real stateless as she has no personal ducument, except a student ID of the college. Her parents also asked her to stop studying after her certificate. They cannot support her for higher education as it also hard for them to earn under the stateless conditions.
Some students submitted their applications for Thai nationalty. They shared that the process take a very long time with some difficulties to communicate with the officers. Most officers are not friendly and do not recognize their duties to service people equally. Some mentioned the corruption in the system and process which make it more difficult for them. They still do not get the resutlts from the officers.
Besides sharing the experiences of nationality processing and accessing to the basic human rights, we share some updated information of laws and regulations which may be helpful for them. They were happy to know that recently there is a cabinet resolution which allowed the stateless students to travel within the provinces of their residents.
These students are from different ethnic groups and but they have common problems. It was good to see them discussed and planned to form up a working group to work together on their problems.
If we only look beyond the laws, we would see that the stateless students are human being with human dignities and should enjoy their human rights fully, equally and with no discriminations.
I belief once they access to basic rights and education opportunities, they will be important human resources to help developing our society in the future.
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