As a Ministry of Interior Notification expediting citizenship applications from long-term immigrants and ethnic minority children will expire on 30 June 2026, proposals have been made for extensions to solve status issues for stateless people in Thailand.

The Announcement was made following an October 2024 Cabinet Resolution approving a proposal made by the National Security Council (NSC) to expedite the process of applying for citizenship and permanent residency for immigrants who have been in Thailand for at least 15 years and ethnic minority children. The proposal aims to solve migration status issues for 483,626 long-term immigrants and ethnic minority children born in Thailand but still waiting for permanent residency or citizenship.

According to the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA)’s Facebook page, an event was held on 17 March 2026 in Ubon Ratchathani’s Khong Chiam District to launch a project facilitating citizenship applications for local residents. DOPA launched a “citizenship clinic,” while the National Human Rights Commission ran a “human rights clinic.”

DOPA noted that, so far, it has granted citizenship and residency to 113,274 people, and that Thailand has been commended by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for its efforts and progress in reducing statelessness.

224 people joined the project in Khong Chiam, most of whom were seeking advice on how to apply for citizenship at DOPA’s citizenship clinic.

Witoon Sirinukul, Deputy Director-General of DOPA, said that the Ministry of Interior has been conducting surveys and collecting information to solve citizenship issues for ethnic groups. He also said that the DOPA is making an effort to resolve human rights issues and ensure that everyone in Thailand is living here legally.

The project at Khong Chiam ran until 20 March. DOPA will collect information from the project to expand the scope to other areas.

Questions have been raised whether the new government of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will continue the policy, which was based on the October 2024 Cabinet Resolution issued by the government of Pheu Thai’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The Ministry of Interior’s Notification of 30 June 2025 changed the criteria for citizenship and residency status so that it now takes only 5 days to process applications for ethnic minority children born in Thailand and immigrants who have been in Thailand for more than 15 years. The Notification is valid for 1 year – until 30 June 2026 – unless it is extended by the Cabinet.

2 days before the announcement was published in the Royal Gazette, then-Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on social media congratulations to ethnic minority groups in Chiang Rai who have been waiting for citizenship, noting that Chiang Rai has the highest number of people waiting for nationality verification.

She also noted that, in July 2024, then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin visited Chiang Rai and promised that he would ensure members of ethnic minority groups will be cared for and be able to stay in Thailand legally.

According to The Reporters, on 17 March, Human Rights Commissioner Preeda Kongpaen said that the NHRC is preparing to propose that the Cabinet resolution be extended. Preeda praised DOPA and the NSC for their efforts in solving statelessness, noting that over 100,000 people have so far been granted citizenships and permanent residency, but that many are still waiting. The NHRC has also submitted recommendations to the NSC and the Ministry of Interior about the Cabinet resolution.

The Cabinet resolution has received commendations from the UNHRC and UNICEF.

“This will be historic,” said Tammi Sharpe, UNHCR’s Representative in Thailand in October 2024. “It would be the most dramatic reduction of statelessness the world has ever seen.”