Why Not Grant Them Citizenship?

What is the Government Afraid Of?

The Thai Government does not view hilltribe people and other ethnic minorities as “Thai” and therefore does not want to place them in the same category as other Thai people. The government claims that if it grants citizenship to its ethnic minorities it will create an overwhelming demand for citizenship by other immigrants, mainly illegal immigrants. They are particularly concerned about a wave of illegal immigrants from Burma .

Neighboring nations, Laos and Vietnam , however, have granted the right to citizenship to their hilltribe populations and those countries have not been faced with an immigrant “problem” as a result.

Economic Profit

Though the national government will not say so, Thailand benefits economically from maintaining a population in the country available for labor exploitation, human trafficking into the sex worker industry and tourist appeal. This population of people is easier to control if they are denied citizenship and can be deported when the government so desires.

Racism

The problem of the ethnic minorities in Thailand and their non-citizen status is an issue of direct racism. These populations are celebrated in brochures for tourism but are not truly valued for the ancient cultures and traditions that, despite great hardship, they have managed to preserve. This cultural preservation comes despite the persistent forces of cultural assimilation and the adversity that come with their lack of citizenship. Ethnic minorities, specifically the hilltribe peoples of the north, are seen as a commodity for the tourist industry that can generate income for the nation but they are not valued for the humans that they are. Even those granted citizenship are treated as second-class citizens and the fact that their citizenship can be revoked (a risk that other citizens do not face) shows that the discrimination towards them continues even after citizenship is achieved.