The Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry chaired the nationality screening committee, emphasizing the need for strict and thorough background checks with national security as the foremost priority.
On 27 March 2026, Mr. Assisit Sampanrat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, chaired the 2/2026 meeting of the nationality screening committee to consider applications for Thai nationality and nationality changes of foreigners. Representatives from security and legal agencies, including the Ministry of Defense, National Security Council, Royal Thai Police, and National Intelligence Agency, attended the meeting collectively.
The Permanent Secretary stated that the meeting reviewed procedures for detailed background checks on applicants for Thai nationality to ensure they have no history posing a threat to society. The committee screened applications for nationality based on marriage to foreign women and requests for nationality changes by foreigners that had passed initial consideration by the subcommittee, to be submitted for the Interior Minister's discretionary approval under the law.
Furthermore, the committee stressed adhering to the principle of national security by carefully verifying qualifications and documents, prioritizing the nation's benefit and security before recommending approval. The nationality screening committee under the Nationality Act of 1965 is tasked with thoroughly vetting applicants' backgrounds to provide comprehensive information for the Interior Minister’s decision to grant Thai nationality to qualified individuals without compromising public order and peace.