Artee, a stateless young girl in Chiang Rai, tried applying
for her Thai ID on her own. She spent years waiting for updates and follow up
appointments from the district office. After four years of waiting she only got
back a response asking for her to resubmit her application. Artee had to
recollect all the required documents but with her village elder having trouble
providing important papers it would make Artee stateless longer and miss
opportunities as they come by.
Through ADRA’s assistance in following up with loose ends
Artee was able to resubmit her application in early 2015 and received her Thai
ID at a naturalization ceremony on November 24, 2016 with 300 other stateless
people. For Artee and other stateless children it was a fresh start for a
brighter future. “Before I felt very bad because my friends joke and say I
cannot leave my village or go anywhere. But now, I can go outside my province
and continue my studies, and I can get a loan for my studies now,” said Artee
triumphantly.