Paper airplane champ still stateless
Back in 2009, a 12-year-old stateless boy briefly became a national hero for his success in an international paper airplane competition. Since then, however, the promises he received of a better life have been largely unkept.
Back in 2009, a 12-year-old stateless boy briefly became a national hero for his success in an international paper airplane competition. Since then, however, the promises he received of a better life have been largely unkept.
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Thai entrant Mong Thongdee prepares to release his paper plane during the individual indoor flight duration competition at the All-Japan Origami Airplane Contest in Makuhari, near Tokyo in 2009. (AP file photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
Paper airplane champ still stateless
Mong thanks Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for stepping in to help him attend the paper airplane competition in Japan. THITI WANNAMONTHA
Back in 2009, a twelve-year-old stateless boy who was born in Chiang Mai to Myanmar migrants, briefly became a national hero.
Having won the Thai origami (paper) airplane championship the previous year, Mong Thongdee became eligible to compete in at the All-Japan Origami Airplane Contest near Tokyo.
Then prime minister Abhisit Vejajiva helped arrange for him to get the needed passport and travel documents and young Mong didn't disappoint. He helped win a gold medal in the team competition and he placed third in the division for elementary school students of the competition, keeping his plane in the air for 10.53 seconds.
He returned to a hero's welcome at Suvarnabhumi airport and promises of a better life from government officials.
The Science and Technology Ministry will sponsor his study, then minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich said.
Mong shows the medals he won at the Japanese paper airplane contest as he is kissed by his mother, father and sister at Suvarnabhumi airport upon his return. Among the well-wishers was Science and Technology Minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, whose ministry promised to grant him a science scholarship. JETJARAS NA RANONG
``All Thais are proud of him and the ministry will offer him a scholarship to study for a doctorate,'' she said.
That is unlikely to happen. According to a report on Sanook.com, 18-year-old Mong is still stateless and has only reached the Mattayom 4 level of secondary school.
A quick look through the Bangkok Post archives reveals that soon after the applause died down, those trying to help him to take advantage of the scholarship promise, discovered that science ministry scholarships were reserved for Thai citizens.
Soon afterwards, there was also confusion over the identity cards he held, one as a the child of migrant workers and the other as a stateless student entitled to basic education and medical care.
Mong Thongdee is today an 18-year-old stateless M4 student. MCOT
According to Sanook.com, Mong's dreams of becoming a pilot are over and his biggest wish is to finally be granted Thai citizenship.
Story based on information from a story in today's Pulse section of the Bangkok Post and previous stories by Lamphai Intathep and Achara Ashayagachat.
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