Bangkok: The Cabinet has announced an extension to the deadline for addressing citizenship and status issues for long-term residents of Thailand and their children born in the country, extending the period until June 30, 2027. This move aims to provide additional time to address the needs of these groups while continuing to combat corruption.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, confirmed that the Cabinet approved a proposal from the National Security Council to extend the deadline by one year. Originally set for June 30, 2026, the new deadline is a response to limited progress due to the low number of individuals who have applied for status improvement. The criteria and qualifications for applicants remain unchanged.
The extension targets two main groups: those who have resided in Thailand for an extended period and cannot return to their country of origin or demonstrate possession of another nationality, and children of ethnic minorities or groups born in Thailand. For the latter, eligibility requires that personal records were compiled up to the year 2000 and during additional surveys from 2005 to 2011.
Ms. Rachada also mentioned that the Department of Provincial Administration has been tasked with creating guidelines for managing remaining cases, updating registration databases, and enforcing laws to safeguard national security and prevent misuse by criminal networks.