Mong Thongdee has finally received his Thai ID card issued to him on Friday by the Muang district of Chiang Mai.

A stateless son of migrant workers from Myanmar was seen smiling as he kissed his ID card amid a group of well-wishers at the Muang district office in a picture posted on the Facebook page of Cha – oh Jirakijyad with a  message “I am now a Thai citizen”.

Mong became a minor celebrity at the age 12 when he won the Thailand Championship Paper Plane Competition before going on to win the third place of a paper plane competition in Japan.

After his return from Japan, he was showered with praises for bringing fame to Thailand and was given a promise of Thai citizenship by politicians and officials. But he had to wait nine years before the promise was fulfilled.

Mong recently won the general individual category of Thailand championship paper plane contest and automatically won a ticket to contest in Japan next year.

He has completed his  high school education and plans to enroll for non-formal education in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai.