The world rejoiced when the Wild Boars were rescued from Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai. Now there is more good news: Three of the boys -- Adul Sam-on, Mongkol Boonpiam and Pornchai Kamluang -- and their coach Ekkapol Chantawong have officially become Thai citizens. On Wednesday they were among 30 stateless people who took the oath of citizenship at a ceremony in Chiang Rai.
Somsak Khanakham, chief of the Mae Sai district office, said he approved the boys' applications since they "have all the qualifications" to be Thais under either Section 7 or Section 23 of the Nationality Act. Coach Ekkapol is of Shan descent, but there is a proof that he was born on Thai soil and that one of his late parents was Thai. In particular, the district chief stressed the young coach was granted Thai citizenship in what was described as an "award of merit", yet he did not elaborate.
The naturalisation of the three boys and the coach has won praise from the UN rights agency. Carol Batchelor, the UNHCR special adviser on statelessness, said in a statement which was quoted by several media outlets yesterday: "By providing these boys and their coach with citizenship, Thailand has given them the chance to both dream of a brighter future and to reach their full potential."
