Wannakul was born in Khon Kaen but her Thai parents failed to apply for a birth certificate. “It was Wannakul’s dream to have a Thai ID card and access to the Bt30 universal healthcare scheme so that she wouldn’t have to spend so much money when she got sick,” Wanna said. The foundation, working with the Khon Kaen Homeless People Network on various projects, learned about Wannakul’s plight. Wanna said the foundation’s 2018 survey documented 700 homeless people across the country, of whom 110 were categorised as khon thai rai sit. Efforts continue to establish a fund to cover medical expenses for khon thai rai sit while they wait for their Thai identity to be confirmed, she said.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 26, 2019 12:44 UTC