Parliamentary Panel Probes Fake Thai Citizenship Racket as Hospitals Refuse To Testify
A parliamentary committee investigates a fake Thai citizenship scheme involving hospitals, which have refused to testify, amid concerns the scam could threaten national security if widespread.
At 9:30 a.m. on August 13, 2569 at Parliament, Rangsiman Rom, a member of parliament from the People's Party list and party deputy leader, spoke as chair of the House legal affairs, justice, and human rights committee about the investigation into the fraudulent Thai nationality scheme. He described the matter as a major national issue involving corruption and hospital complicity in falsifying identities to obtain Thai citizenship. If the scale of the problem grows, he warned, it could threaten Thailand's security and national policies.
Rangsiman said the committee invited multiple agencies including two private hospitals, the National Police Office, and the Department of Local Administration to provide information. The committee aims to assess how serious and widespread the problem is, whether all cases can be identified, and whether adequate safeguards exist to prevent recurrence. He outlined two main concerns: whether the issue represents organized crime requiring stronger law enforcement response, and whether systemic measures will be designed to prevent such problems from recurring or whether the matter will be forgotten after media attention fades.
Thawee Piyarat, a People's Party parliament member and committee spokesperson, noted that both private hospitals declined to send representatives for questioning, citing insufficient advance notice. When asked if the committee would issue a second summons, Rangsiman said the decision depends on the weight of information already gathered and whether it suffices for further legal action or additional fact-finding. However, he emphasized that the hospitals' refusal to appear sends a poor message, as the committee hearing would have allowed them to present their own perspective and facts. He suggested that avoiding the hearing hoping to escape suspicion has repeatedly proven ineffective and only deepens public doubt. "If the hospitals are confident in their integrity and have good preventive systems in place, and are ready to address what happened transparently and directly, they should not hesitate to clarify before the committee," Rangsiman stated, adding that the committee stands ready to hear all sides openly and fully.
