Fair party leader Kannavee Suebsueng has called on the new prime minister to look into what he called “bribes-for-citizenship,” in which stateless people are having to pay bribes to brokers to obtain legal status.
He said he learned about the network during his recent visit to Fang district in Chiang Mai.
“Locals informed me that stateless people were being forced to pay bribes to obtain legal status under a Cabinet resolution issued on October 29, 2024,” he said.
The bribes allegedly range from 3,000 to 40,000 baht per person. Therefore, based on Thailand’s 483,626 stateless residents, if each had to pay 5,000 baht, the damage could reach 2.5 billion baht, circulating within an illegal network.
He proposed that the new government address the issue urgently, adding that he has already raised it with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
He urged a swift resolution, saying the issue cannot be handled by bureaucracy alone, but requires strong political will, particularly from Anutin, who will also hold the position of interior minister.
“This is a major issue. We don’t even know where the money trail leads. If Anutin declares he can fix it, then it can be solved,” Kannavee said.
