Mong Thongdee approaches the citizenship finish line
Good news for Thailand’s favourite paper plane flyer.
The stateless paper-folding airplane competition champion, Mong Thongdee, has applied for Thai nationality. The process is expected to take three weeks. It’s only taken a decade since he first promised citizenship as a result of him representing the country in international paper-plane contests in Japan.
The 21 year old stateless man, Mong Thongdee, who rose to fame as the local and international paper-folded airplane competition champion, this week applied for Thai nationality at the government complex in Chiang Mai Province.
The Deputy District Chief of Muang Chiang Mai District accepted the petition and personally processed Mr. Mong’s document.
According to the government’s procedures in requests for nationality, the responsible unit will perform a criminal record check on the applicant, interview two witnesses, and review other relevant documents, before going through the legal proceedings. Consideration takes roughly 90 days to complete, with another 30 extra days for additional scrutiny, if needs be.
However, in the case of Mr. Mong, it is speculated that the Chiang Mai Governor may shorten the procedure to a week. After the examination process is done, the governor will request the Department of Provincial Administration to assign a 13-digit ID for Mr. Mong. The paper plane champion can then file a petition with the Office of the Registrar Suthep Sub-District Municipal Office before heading back to Chiang Mai’s capital district office for the issuance of a citizen ID card.
Mr. Mong expects to receive his first ID Card within five months, while saying he hopes to purchase a piece of land, so he can build a house on Thai soil. He is planning to study for a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in order to stay in the construction field as his father before him.
