Am I Thai, or Am I not?Invisible and Left Out
Thai-Born Non-Thai Nationals
Aree Jampaklay
Institute for Population and Social ResearchMahidol University
IDP Workshop, Brussels, BelgiumMarch 22-23, 2007
OutlineOutline
Undocumented ThaisUndocumented Thais Hill tribes and ethnic groupsHill tribes and ethnic groups Migrants from neighboring Migrants from neighboring
countriescountries Birth registration Birth registration ChallengesChallenges
Undocumented ThaisUndocumented Thais
No documents, no rightsNo documents, no rights Tsunami -- a considerable number of Tsunami -- a considerable number of
Thais, especially children, do not have Thais, especially children, do not have documentsdocuments
A number of people missing in the A number of people missing in the registration system registration system
No documents-- not registered at birth, No documents-- not registered at birth, lost documentslost documents
Being unregistered of parents hinders Being unregistered of parents hinders their children from being registered their children from being registered
These people have been facing a great These people have been facing a great limitation of access as though they do not limitation of access as though they do not existexist
No documents, no rightsNo documents, no rights The number of unregistered The number of unregistered
Thais is not known Thais is not known Estimated about 3% newborns Estimated about 3% newborns
unregisteredunregistered Difficult lives of unregistered Difficult lives of unregistered
Thai-born children of Thai Thai-born children of Thai parents increasingly reported in parents increasingly reported in mediasmedias
Undocumented Tsunami Undocumented Tsunami victims in Pang-nga victims in Pang-nga
provinceprovince All were not registered at birthAll were not registered at birth Most born outside health facilitiesMost born outside health facilities Born in health facilities but the Born in health facilities but the
registration process not completedregistration process not completed Parents of most of them are Thai Parents of most of them are Thai
nationals and have IDnationals and have ID Used to have IDs but after moving to Used to have IDs but after moving to
the south, their names are missing from the south, their names are missing from the registration system, never checked the registration system, never checked in the place of originin the place of origin
Undocumented Tsunami Undocumented Tsunami victims in Pang-nga victims in Pang-nga
provinceprovince In Tsunami rehabilitation, Thai In Tsunami rehabilitation, Thai
orphans without 13 digit ID orphans without 13 digit ID number did not get any support number did not get any support from the government, whereas from the government, whereas children of migrants with ID children of migrants with ID number didnumber did
Hill tribes and ethnic Hill tribes and ethnic groupsgroups
Hill tribes and ethnic Hill tribes and ethnic groupsgroups
Have lived in Thailand for Have lived in Thailand for generationsgenerations
Migrants from neighboring Migrants from neighboring countries illegally crossed border a countries illegally crossed border a long time ago long time ago
Most found in areas bordering Most found in areas bordering MyanmarMyanmar
Dynamics, hard to clarify number Dynamics, hard to clarify number and backgroundand background
Hill tribes and ethnic Hill tribes and ethnic groupsgroups
By law, they live illegallyBy law, they live illegally Restricted to move freelyRestricted to move freely Not allowed to work in a Not allowed to work in a
government sectorgovernment sector Cannot own assets (land, cars, or Cannot own assets (land, cars, or
a motorcycles)a motorcycles) Children of them still not Children of them still not
considered Thai nationalsconsidered Thai nationals
Hill tribes and ethnic Hill tribes and ethnic groupsgroups
Database: the Registration Office, the Database: the Registration Office, the Ministry of Interior, started in 1972Ministry of Interior, started in 1972
> 500,000, classified into 19 ethnic > 500,000, classified into 19 ethnic groupsgroups
Each issued a color ID card with 13 Each issued a color ID card with 13 digit IDdigit ID
Are in the process of applying for Are in the process of applying for Thai nationalityThai nationality
The process is very slow, case by caseThe process is very slow, case by case
Hill tribes Hill tribes and ethnic and ethnic
groupgroup 400,000 400,000
granted illegal granted illegal migrant status migrant status allowed for allowed for temporary staytemporary stay
53% males 53% males Chiengmai, Chiengmai, Chiengrai, Chiengrai, Kanchanaburi, Kanchanaburi, Maehongson, Maehongson, and Ranongand Ranong
Hill tribes and ethnic Hill tribes and ethnic groupgroup
~ 70,000 ~ 70,000 Children of hill tribes Children of hill tribes and ethnic groupsand ethnic groups
Status: children of the aboveStatus: children of the above Chiengrai, Chiengmai, Bangkok, Chiengrai, Chiengmai, Bangkok,
Kanchanaburi, and SaraburiKanchanaburi, and Saraburi
40000 30000 20000 10000 0 10000 20000 30000 40000
<5 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-5960+
Male Female
Source: Achavanitkul, 2006
Hill tribes and ethnic groups by age group
Children of hill tribes and Children of hill tribes and ethnic groups by age groupethnic groups by age group
20000 10000 0 10000 20000
<5 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-5960+
Male Female
Source: Achavanitkul, 2006
Some limitations to acquire Some limitations to acquire education among children education among children
of ethnic groupsof ethnic groups Accepted to school but not receive certificates Accepted to school but not receive certificates Issues the certificates, but stamped that the Issues the certificates, but stamped that the
child is not a Thai nationalchild is not a Thai national Not accepted to further study in non-formal Not accepted to further study in non-formal
educationeducation Accepted but refused for education loan from Accepted but refused for education loan from
the government the government Restricted movement: cannot take educational Restricted movement: cannot take educational
exams or go to school in other areasexams or go to school in other areas Accepted to college, but pay fees and stipend Accepted to college, but pay fees and stipend
as foreigner rateas foreigner rate The degree is not enough for a government jobThe degree is not enough for a government job
Recent illegal migrants Recent illegal migrants from neighboring countriesfrom neighboring countries
Recent illegal migrantsRecent illegal migrants 1996: registration for illegal migrant 1996: registration for illegal migrant
workersworkers 2004: registration for migrant workers, 2004: registration for migrant workers,
dependents, and employersdependents, and employers The Registration Office, Ministry of The Registration Office, Ministry of
InteriorInterior Registration (free)Registration (free) Health check-up (600)+for health Health check-up (600)+for health
insurance (1300)insurance (1300) Work permit (100+1800)Work permit (100+1800)
Recent illegal migrantsRecent illegal migrants 1.52 million registered migrants 1.52 million registered migrants
(March 2006)(March 2006) Bangkok 242,252Bangkok 242,252 Samutsakhon 151,728Samutsakhon 151,728 Tak 135,894Tak 135,894 Chiengmai 94,431 Chiengmai 94,431 Chonburi 67,697 Chonburi 67,697
300,000 200,000 100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000
<5 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60+
Male Female
Registered illegal migrants by age groups
Source: Achavanitkul 2007
Recent illegal migrantsRecent illegal migrants CBR = 3.5, children of migrants CBR = 3.5, children of migrants
will increasewill increase Educational chance for children Educational chance for children
of migrants is still limitedof migrants is still limited No consensus education plan No consensus education plan
from the central governmentfrom the central government
Birth registrationBirth registration
Who are included in the Who are included in the registration system?registration system?
The Registration Act, 1991:The Registration Act, 1991: Thai nationalsThai nationals Legal migrants (valid visa and Legal migrants (valid visa and
passport)passport) Thai residents who received Thai residents who received
color ID cards (ethnic groups) color ID cards (ethnic groups) Illegal migrants who are Illegal migrants who are
registeredregistered
Who are excluded?Who are excluded? Children of undocumented Children of undocumented
parents (illegal migrants without parents (illegal migrants without documents and undocumented documents and undocumented Thai parents) ; they are statelessThai parents) ; they are stateless
International Covenant Civil and International Covenant Civil and Political Rights 1966, which Political Rights 1966, which states that every child must be states that every child must be registered after birth and have a registered after birth and have a name, is violatedname, is violated
Why not registered?Why not registered? Birth in remote areasBirth in remote areas Ineligible parental statusIneligible parental status Parents’ lack of knowledge and Parents’ lack of knowledge and
awarenessawareness Parents’ attitudeParents’ attitude Health officers and registrars lack Health officers and registrars lack
knowledge and awarenessknowledge and awareness Health officers’ and registrars’ attitudes Health officers’ and registrars’ attitudes Unclear guidelines, rules, and regulations Unclear guidelines, rules, and regulations Language barriersLanguage barriers
ChallengesChallenges
ChallengesChallenges Database: Database:
No database of undocumented No database of undocumented ThaisThais
Duplication of ID cards between Duplication of ID cards between hill tribes/ethnic groups and hill tribes/ethnic groups and migrants from neighboring migrants from neighboring countriescountries
Effective mechanism to include Effective mechanism to include undocumented Thaisundocumented Thais
ChallengesChallenges Attitudes towards ethnic groupsAttitudes towards ethnic groups Complicated registrationComplicated registration processprocess Unclear guidelines/policy -- Unclear guidelines/policy --
inconsistent practiceinconsistent practice Law that excludes children of Law that excludes children of
undocumented parentsundocumented parents from from registrationregistration
