Thailand to grant citizenship to nearly 500,000 migrants and minorities
Nearly 500,000 migrants will be granted citizenship by the Thai government, the country’s cabinet announced.
The figure includes 142,000 children, persons from ethnic minorities and indigenous groups, alongside thousands of long-term migrants.
The move, which will affect about 483,000 people, is aimed at helping these groups contribute more easily to the Thai economy.
Many of these individuals have been living in Thailand since 1984 without legal status.
By speeding up citizenship applications, officials say migrant workers will be able to travel freely and work more efficiently, which they hope will boost the economy.
Under the previous system, it would have taken 44 years to complete all these applications.
The secretary-general of the National Security Council, Chatchai Bangchuad, told local reporters that migrant workers from neighbouring countries will not have the right to Thai citizenship, even if they have lived and worked in the country for more than 15 years.
Thailand depends heavily on migrant workers in areas such as construction, manufacturing, and farming.
The new measure is expected to improve conditions for these workers while supporting the country’s economic needs.
