26/09/2025
📢‼️ Stop Citizenship Bribes.
Together with our partner, Legal Status Network, we are deeply alarmed by reports of widespread “citizenship bribes” in processing the legal status of stateless persons in Thailand. We stand with LSNF in demanding the transparent and full implementation of the Thailand Cabinet Resolution, which promises legal recognition to over 480,000 stateless individuals, many of whom have been waiting for decades.
Communities of migrants, especially along the Thailand–Myanmar border, are strongly urged to stay vigilant. Reports reveal that applicants are being pressured to pay tens of thousands of Baht far exceeding official fees.
If you spotted or are forced to pay a bribe, report it immediately to the Department of Provincial Administration via hotline 1548.
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Statement of Legal Status Network Foundation
[rough English translation of the original Thai text]
LSNF expresses its support for the implementation of nationality determination in line with the Cabinet Resolution dated October 29, 2024, to ensure population management that is consistent with human rights principles.
As reported in the media regarding the implementation of this Cabinet Resolution, 483,626 individuals who were born and have long resided in Thailand but remain without nationality are to be granted legal rights—specifically, the issuance of permanent residence certificates for those born outside Thailand and granting of Thai nationality for those born inside the country.
However, it has come to light that during this process, there have been instances of illegal demands for money, referred to as “citizenship bribes,” exceeding the official legal fees. Reports indicate that applicants have been asked to pay between several thousand and tens of thousands of baht. At an estimated average of 5,000 baht per person, this would amount to approximately 2.5 billion baht in damages.
As a civil society organization that has worked on legal status and rights issues for. a long time, assisting eligible individuals to exercise their right to apply for legal status under the Cabinet Resolution, LSNF emphasizes that its work has been carried out in good faith and with transparency. This principle of transparency has also guided cooperation with district registrar offices to support applicants. Yet, with these recent reports, it is clear that corruption persists in the form of “citizenship bribes.”
LSNF hereby declares its position in full support of agencies tasked with investigation, urging them to establish the facts and pursue prosecution to the fullest extent. The Foundation stands firmly against corruption in all forms, which it considers unacceptable.
Accordingly, member organizations of the Network strongly oppose such corrupt practices and propose the following measures to prevent them:
1. The Department of Provincial Administration should require district registrar offices to implement transparent systems for handling applications and queues, publish applicant lists at district offices or in public, and allow eligible applicants to submit directly in accordance with the Cabinet Resolution.
2. Any action not in line with legal criteria, particularly regarding witness testimony, must be strictly governed by the provisions of the law.
3. In areas where complaints of bribery have risen, district chiefs should be transferred or replaced to demonstrate integrity and allow impartial investigation, with effective mechanisms established to protect witnesses.
4. In the 22 districts with large stateless populations, the Department of Provincial Administration under the Ministry of Interior should appoint district chiefs with commitment and experience in resolving statelessness issues.
Finally, LSNF reiterates that all forms of bribery and corruption are unlawful, contrary to principles of good governance, and constitute serious violations of human rights. When investigations confirm these practices, the relevant authorities must take decisive and thorough legal action. This is necessary to fulfill the intent of the Cabinet Resolution and Thailand’s international commitments to end statelessness sustainably.
[Signed by Santiphong Moonfong, Representative of LSNF]
