DNA tests conducted to establish Sakai and Mogen people’s citizenship
Justice Ministry officials on Monday visited Satun’s Koh Lipe to administer DNA tests for 33 people from the Sakai and Mogen tribal minorities to help them obtain Thai nationality.
The results of the DNA tests, administered to 30 Sakai people from nine families and three Mogen, should be available within six weeks, said Justice Ministry inspector-general Permpoon Phermprasit.
At present, the 33 people have not received legal citizenship after being excluded from the census survey for unknown reasons.
The Rights and Liberties Protection Department, the Central Institute of Forensic Science, the Interior Ministry’s Department Of Provincial Administration and other related agencies were engaging the issue to enable stateless indigenous people to access basic rights such as nationality, medical treatment, education and access to the judicial system, Permpoon said.
The Rights and Liberties Protection Department in the past has provided legal aid to indigenous people, including providing money for the bail of nine Mogen people arrested by Similan Islands National Park officials, assistance in establishing the land rights of the Tupoh community of Moken people on Koh Lipe and proving the land rights of Bang Kloy Karen villagers in Phetchaburi’s Kaeng Krachan district, he said.