After 78 Years, Hill-Tribe Woman Finally Gets Thai ID Card
A 78-year-old hill-tribe woman in Mae Hong Son province has received her first Thai national ID card after living her entire life without civil registration, finally gaining access to healthcare and government welfare benefits.
MAE HONG SON — A 78-year-old Indigenous hill-tribe woman has finally received her Thai national identification card after spending nearly eight decades without being listed in the civil registration system.
On July 22, 2026, Sop Moei district chief Khamphan Mokthaisong approved the addition of the woman's name to the civil registration and presented her with a Thai national ID card under Regulation No. 97 of the Central Registration Bureau.
The woman, identified as Thaloi Sukudompha, 78, is a resident of Mae Ok Tai village, Moo 4, Mae Khatuan subdistrict, Sop Moei district, Mae Hong Son province. Thaloi was born and has lived in Mae Ok Tai village all her life. However, she was previously left out of the civil registration system, meaning she had no name or personal record in the household registration document, known as Tor Ror 14.
As a result, she had been unable to fully access basic rights and government welfare benefits available to Thai citizens for almost eight decades. Receiving the ID card brought great joy to Thaloi and her family. The document not only formally confirms her identity as a Thai citizen, but also allows her to access healthcare and other state welfare benefits on an equal basis.
Officals said the process was carried out in accordance with relevant regulations and laws, with no fees charged. The move is intended to restore basic rights and ensure equal access to public services for Indigenous Thai citizens who were previously left out of the civil registration system.
