Remember Mong? He's still not Thai

Despite national fame and big promises after becoming a paper airplane champion, Mong Thongdee, now 20, remains stateless.

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Being Thai, on the fly

Yvonne Bohwongprasert

Once a stateless boy, today Mong Thongdee remains stateless as a man. Eight years ago when he was 12, Mong was in every newspaper's headlines when the Chiang Mai-born son of Myanmar migrant workers won a national contest for paper planes and was chosen to represent Thailand at a competition in Japan.

Today a grown man of 20, and still with no identity card, Mong has moved on from flying a paper plane to flying drones. PORNPROM SATRABHAYA

As a non-Thai person with no identity card, Mong wasn't eligible to travel, let alone to compete on behalf of Thailand. But after being crowned national champion, the government stepped in, issued a temporary passport and allowed the boy to travel to compete in the All-Japan Origami Airplane Contest in Chiba, where he won first prize in the team category and third prize in the individual class.

He became a Thai national hero, even though he's not officially Thai.

Today a grown man of 20, and still with no identity card, Mong has moved on from flying a paper plane to flying drones. He now works as a drone pilot trainer in Chiang Mai.

"I have forgiven the people that made promises to me that I would be given Thai nationality and a scholarship," said Mong, who was recently in Bangkok for the fold-and-fly competition at the Impact, Muang Thong Thani.

"Looking back, I just feel that adults should never promise a kid something they are not sure they can deliver. In close to a decade, it has been my parents who have largely supported my education.

Today a grown man of 20, and still with no identity card, Mong has moved on from flying a paper plane to flying drones. PORNPROM SATRABHAYA

Mong said that while he continues to use the Non-Thai National ID Card (0), which offers him some benefits, especially when it comes to running his daily life, it is the constant hassle of applying for travel permits and not being allowed to purchase his own land which makes him feel bad about not having Thai nationality.

In the latest development to achieving his Thai ID, Mong told us that HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has taken his desire to become a Thai national as a special consideration case.

"I feel elated for the honour that this has given to me not just myself, but my family. After completing my senior year, I will be studying for my bachelor's degree, which should then set the pace for my obtaining a Thai ID."

You can read the full, much longer story, here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/social-and-lifestyle/1318051/being-thai-on-the-fly

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