Thai childern, aged 7 upward, legally required to have ID cards

BANGKOK, July 11 (TNA) - A new law requiring Thai children, aged seven years upward, to have identity cards has taken effect since July 10, prompting a number of the younger Thais to line up for a mobile ID cards issuance service specially provided by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)'s administration and registration office at all schools across the Thai capital, beginning from Monday.

The ID cards issuance for the Thai children was inaugurated in Bangkok by BMA Permanent Secretary Charoenrat Chootikan Monday morning at Wat Pathumwanaram School under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn --where more than 570 students were actively applying for their first-ever ID cards in life.

Charoenrat said that the City Authority will carry on the mobile ID cards issuance service for the Thai students at their schools until July 14, and that he has also ordered all 50 district offices in the capital to provide the service with specially-extended office hours, from 8am-6pm on Mondays to Fridays and from 8am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, until September 30, 2011.

According to BMA figures, there are now at least 649,868 Thai children aged 7-15 living in Bangkok who are now legally required to have their ID cards issued by the City Authority. (TNA)