On 14 July 2018, the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu in cooperation with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SPBAC) of Thailand, the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, the Department of Provincial Administration, and the Tak Bai District, organised the DNA Testing Programme 2018 at the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Kota Bharu. In this regard, it was our honour to have Rear Admiral Somkeart Ponprayoon, Rtn., Deputy Secretary General of the SPBAC presiding over the opening ceremony.

            The Royal Thai Consulate-General together with the above-mentioned Thai authorities had organised the DNA Testing Programme for 2 consecutive years in order to help Thai nationals born and currently residing in Malaysia and are not legally recognised as Thai citizens. The DNA Testing result will provide them an opportunity to register themselves in the Thai civil registration system, which will allow them to enjoy basic rights and responsibilities as Thai nationals. There were 158 applicants participated in the programme, increased by 31.66% from 120 applicants in 2017.

            The collected DNA samples will be processed in laboratory at the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, the results of which will be forward to the Royal Thai Consulate-General and the applicants respectively for further related actions.