VOA常速英语:缅甸移民子女瞄准泰国国籍

For decades,a steady flow of migrants and refugees fleeing conflict and instability in neighboring countries have arrived here in Thailand.

Most have crossed the border illegally,making it difficult to obtain proper working papers and force many to take menial jobs with restricted travel.

However, a government resolution passed in December enables stateless families to obtain legal citizenship for their children who are born in Thailand.

For Karen Mou Jae, originally from Myanmar, is one of the first to obtain citizenship under the new policy.Better education means better paying jobs.

I am very happy to have the ID cards, it makes life easier to travel around and get access to school and have more options.When I went to school in the past, they asked me “Are you Thai” because only Thais can study in school.

The resolution expands eligibility to about 80,000 offspring of migrants and displaced people and localizes the paperwork for expediency.

Former border resident and witness to the ongoing hardship to the refugees,Santhipong Moonfong says providing information to the stateless families is key to opening the door for their kids.

The main problem for the stateless people here is they don’t know their background or even they have any information they don’t know the process to get status.

Some people don’t know where they were born, some of them don’t have evidence where they came from.We have to give them knowledge and guide them to get identity cards.

Mekong Chiang Province along the Thai-Myanmar border is home to the highest number of stateless people at more than 50,000.

Karen student Sher La Aer is a new applicant of waiting conformation of citizenship so she can pay it forward to others seeking home.

My dream is to get the Identity Card, I continue to study political science.After I graduate, I’ll come back to work at the local government office and help other children in my community to get the Identity Card.

As the number of cross-border arrivals in Thailand drops with increase development in Myanmar,many families are hoping for a more secure future for their children on the Thai side.

Steve Sandford, reporting for VOA from Mekong Chiang, Thailand.