Bangkok: In a significant address at the Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in the Asia-Pacific region, Thirat Rattanawanich, Thailand's Deputy Minister of Interior and Acting Minister of Interior, reiterated Thailand's commitment that "every life must be treated equally and no one should be left behind."
According to Thai News Agency, Thirat delivered the keynote speech at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in Asia and the Pacific. The event was attended by regional representatives, including Mr. Woranat Nooror, Acting Adviser on Administration, Ministry of Interior, and Mr. Witoon Sirinukul, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration. The conference took place at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok.
Thirat emphasized the Thai government's focus on enhancing the quality of life through sustainable development. She highlighted the importance of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CRVS) in affirming the 'right to identity' for all individuals. This system, she pointed out, is crucial for enabling access to health and educational services and plays a role in reducing inequality in remote areas through digital advancements.
Thirat stated that the Ministry of Interior is committed to continuously improving the CRVS system, underlining the belief that "everyone is valuable and every life must be counted." This improvement is tied to resolving issues related to statelessness, particularly among ethnic and border communities. Efforts have been made to provide legal status through birth registration and nationality documents, and to develop a comprehensive national ID card system with a unique 13-digit ID number for every individual. These initiatives aim to facilitate access to education and healthcare, thereby enhancing human resource potential to manage crises effectively through collaboration between government and civil society.
In her concluding remarks, Thirat stressed that "Thailand must not have anyone left behind," calling on member countries in the region to work together towards inclusive and sustainable development for all lives in Asia and the Pacific. She extended gratitude on behalf of the Thai government to all the representatives who participated in this collective effort to uphold basic human rights.