The case of Maicon Cardoso has become a subject of public curiosity because, although he has grown up in Thailand since he was young, legally he still cannot acquire Thai nationality at this time due to the clear conditions set by Thai nationality law.
First, he was not born in Thailand. One way to obtain Thai nationality is "nationality by birth," which requires the applicant to have been born in the Kingdom of Thailand and to provide proof such as a birth certificate. However, Maicon was born in Brazil and moved to Thailand at about age 2. The law still emphasizes "place of birth," not the duration of residence in the country.
Second, he does not yet meet the conditions for naturalization. Another path is "naturalization as a Thai citizen," which requires several qualifications such as:
- Having lawful residence in Thailand continuously for at least 5 years
- Having a legitimate occupation and stable income
- Being legally an adult under Thai law (aged 20 years or older)
- Holding a residence certificate or legal alien identification documents
Currently, Maicon is only 17 years old, so he is not yet legally an adult under Thai law. Moreover, he currently resides abroad, so he does not meet the residency condition in Thailand.
Third, the route of "contributing benefits to the country" also does not apply. Thai law allows individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the country to receive Thai nationality on a special case basis. However, the key conditions generally still require birth in Thailand and no clear indication of holding other nationality. Maicon still holds Brazilian nationality.
Finally, although Maicon Cardoso has lived and grown up in Thailand for more than 15 years, Thai nationality law still prioritizes "place of birth" and legal conditions rather than "where one grows up." Therefore, he currently cannot acquire Thai nationality. However, in the future, if he reaches the required age and meets legal conditions, he may still have the opportunity to apply for naturalization.