Bangkok: The Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with seven Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agencies, has taken significant steps to address issues related to registration status by providing ID cards to 23 stateless individuals. Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, participated in the signing ceremony of the ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Assistance to Persons with Problems with Registration Status and Stateless Persons’, with Ms. Aemon Siangyai, Director-General of the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection, serving as the reporter for the event.
According to Thai News Agency, the MOU was signed by seven agencies, including the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection, the Department of Special Investigation, the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection, the Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Department of Provincial Administration, the Office of the Basic Education Commission, and Bangkok. The primary aim is to establish operational guidelines and improve coordination among central, regional, and local agencies to ensure that individuals facing registration status issues and stateless persons receive the fundamental rights guaranteed by law, promoting justice without discrimination.
The initiative included the distribution of ID cards to 23 individuals dealing with registration status challenges and statelessness. This effort is a result of collaborative actions among agencies to assess and verify the status of stateless individuals, facilitating their access to legal recognition and rights as per established criteria and laws.
The Minister of Justice highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring justice for all, with a focus on vulnerable groups, including stateless individuals and those lacking registration status. He noted that nearly a million individuals born in Thailand remain without registration status, with 480,000 having sought assistance from the Ministry of Interior. The Minister emphasized the need for a comprehensive and expedited legal process, contrasting with previous methods that could take several decades. The MOU outlines clear objectives, aiming for completion within two years, with the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Education playing pivotal roles.
In the fiscal year 2025, 6,648 individuals facing registration status issues and statelessness were evaluated, resulting in 583 individuals achieving legal status development in line with the law and criteria.
