Searching for Identity and Citizenship for Ethnic Minorities in Thailand
Project Report
The 19th Church District, the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT)

The Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) was started in early 1828 when Protestant missionaries came to teach Christianity in Thailand (formerly ‘Siam’). The Church of Christ in Thailand is the largest Protestant organization in Thailand. It has more than 900 local churches nationwide with more than 150,000 members. The CCT administers the churches through 19 church districts. Almost half of its members are lowland people and of Chinese descent; the rest of its members are tribal and highland people.

It is estimated that there are between 600,000 to 1.2 million people in Thailand who belong to ethnic minority groups, such as the Karen, Hmong (Meo), Yao (Mein), Akha (Egaw), Lahu (Musoe), and Lisu. The Karen tribe is the largest group. Most originally came from Tibet, Burma, Laos, and China over the past 200 years. Many live in the mountainous areas in the north and western highlands along the border between Thailand and Myanmar (Burma). Each group can be distinguished by their language, culture, dress, and spiritual beliefs.

Many hill tribe people, although they were born in Thailand, do not have birth certificates, meaning they have no citizenship, no identification documents, and no legal identity. The lack of citizenship means that these ethnic minorities are considered as illegal aliens in their own land and access to basic services like education and health care, and the right to own land, are restricted. Almost 25 percent of the hill tribe children still do not have citizenship, which affects their access to schooling, healthcare, and legal employment. Citizenship allows people of ethnic minorities to have more opportunities and access to basic services.

The 19^th Church District of the CCT began the Searching for Identity and Citizenship for Ethnic Minorities in Thailand project which helps people apply for and become Thai citizens. The pilot project began with nine project volunteers working from offices in a local government building. The volunteers reach out to people in villages regarding the benefits of citizenship. They serve as translators, as many of the highland people do not speak Thai and most Thai officials do not understand the minority languages. Volunteers collect, classify, and analyze the citizenship documentation and assist in ratifying citizenship.

The project expected 100-200 individuals who will receive citizenship documents during the first year of the project. As of August 2010, almost 1,000 people had filed for citizenship. Of those, 210 had been granted citizenship and an additional 776 are registered and waiting.

Among the 210 people, Miss Mayuree and her three younger sisters recently became Thai citizens. Their father and mother had obtained citizenship years ago but, due to the lack of education in minority communities, Miss Mayuree’s parents did not know how to register their children. Mayuree said “I am very happy to receive the citizenship. I am a Thai now. I am happy because I can go to school and obtain public services that other Thai people receive.”

The field office and the staff of the 19^th Church District has assessed the progress and noted some additional observations. They learned that the local government office appreciates the project. The field project staff not only helps the people to receive the citizenship, they also build a better understanding and cooperation between the people (ethnic communities) and the local government. The staff has also learned that neither the people nor the government has good records and documentation, providing more of a challenge than first thought in proving qualifications for citizenship. The process is also challenging because government officers change often and because the registration process is complex. The field staff also learned the challenges of traveling to villages during the rainy season.