Tearful boy's high-flying hopes dashed
Writer: LAMPHAI INTATHEP and THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL
The dream of a stateless boy born in Thailand to compete in a paper airplane contest in Japan has been shattered after the Interior Ministry refused him an official certificate to travel overseas.
MongThongdee shows off his plane, which can remain in the air for 12.5 minutes, before a meeting with Provincial Administration Department director-general Vongsak Swasdipanich. The stateless boy maynot be able to travel to Japan because he lacks permission from the Interior Ministry. APICHART JINAKUL
His disappointment was made worse when the Foreign Ministry agreed to give him a temporary passport to allow him to represent Thailand at the competition later this month.
Mong Thongdee, 12, flew to Bangkok from Chiang Mai yesterday to file a request with the Interior Ministry for permission to attend the Origami Airplane contest in Chiba, Japan, from Sept 19-20.
* See our editorial: Bureaucracy foils high-flier
Mong was born in Thailand to Burmese labourers and has been denied Thai citizenship.
"Please help me to go to Japan," the boy begged Provincial Administration Department chief Vongsak Swasdipanich at the ministry. "I know that I do not have Thai nationality, so that will cost me the chance to attend the competition," the boy said, wiping tears from his cheeks.
Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul confirmed it was impossible for the government to grant Thai nationality to the boy. He said if Mong wanted to compete in Japan, he had to represent Burma as a Burmese national.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Wimon Kidchob yesterday said if the Interior Ministry gave its permission then the Foreign Ministry would issue a special passport for the boy to go to Japan.
Source: Bangkok Post
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