PM Distributes National ID Cards to Ethnic Groups in Chiang Rai, Emphasizing Equality and Dignity for All Thais June 28, 2025 – Chiang Rai: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra visited Mae Chan District in Chiang Rai today to personally hand out Thai national ID cards to local ethnic minority groups who have officially been granted Thai citizenship under a recent Cabinet resolution. At the event held at Maechan Wittayakom School, the Prime Minister was joined by Deputy Interior Minister Teerarat Samrejvanich (Acting Minister of Interior), Deputy Agriculture Ministers Akkara Promphao and Itthi Sirilatthayakorn, Interior Permanent Secretary Assisit Sapphantarat, Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration Chaiyawat Chuntiraphong, and Chiang Rai Governor Charin Thongsuk. Government Spokesman Jirayu Houngsub reported that the Prime Minister received a briefing on progress in addressing the status of stateless persons and those without legal documentation. According to the Department of Provincial Administration, the government has prioritized resolving the legal status of two key groups: 340,101 people who migrated to Thailand before 1999 and 143,525 of their children. To be eligible, applicants must have previously undergone registration or been included in surveys conducted between 2005 and 2011, or be verifiably left out from that process. Criteria include living in Thailand for at least 15 years, holding no other nationality, having a valid 13-digit ID number, and demonstrating good conduct. Applicants in Bangkok must apply via the Security Affairs Bureau, while those in the provinces can file with their district chiefs, along with proof of residence and identification. The Prime Minister highlighted key developments, including an inter-agency meeting scheduled for early July 2024, a new streamlined process that reduced ID approval from 270 to just 5 days, and Cabinet’s recent authorization allowing district chiefs to grant citizenship directly. A ministerial announcement supporting these policies was signed on April 2,
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