Thailand has enacted a new regulation, effective June 30, 2025, offering a legal route to citizenship for stateless individuals and ethnic minorities who have resided in the country long-term, as part of efforts to resolve enduring nationality issues.
The regulation, now published in the Royal Gazette, allows children born in Thailand to stateless parents to apply for Thai citizenship, provided their details were included in official population records compiled before 1999. It also applies to individuals registered in national surveys conducted between 2005 and 2011 under a strategic initiative addressing legal status and rights concerns.
Among those eligible are members of the Moken ethnic community, a nomadic group with longstanding roots in Thai territory. The move follows a cabinet resolution aimed at accelerating legal recognition for stateless persons whose presence in the country is well-documented.
The regulation is valid for one year from its implementation date, with provisions for extension subject to cabinet approval.
Authorities clarified that the regulation specifically excludes migrant workers, individuals in temporary shelters, and foreign nationals holding passports. Eligibility is contingent on compliance with criteria outlined in the regulation and submission through formal administrative processes. Applicants in Bangkok must contact the Bureau of Registration Administration, while those in other provinces are directed to their respective district offices.
The measure targets approximately 140,000 individuals whose biometric data has already been integrated into Thailand’s national records system, ensuring traceability and administrative readiness.
The policy was approved by the cabinet in October 2024 under the previous government and is now being implemented by the Ministry of Interior. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s administration has emphasized prompt action on long-standing nationality issues. Senior officials, including Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich and Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary Unsit Sampantarat, underscored the regulation’s role in addressing the rights of long-term residents who remain stateless under current law.
