US funny man to give up his American citizenship - desperate to become a Thai

[webfact]

US funny man to give up his American citizenship - desperate to become a Thai

 

File photo

 

US native Udom Suksanaih - famed for his funny videos in the Thai northern dialect online - has gone to the US consulate in Chiang Mai to start the process of renouncing his US citizenship. 

 

The Phrae resident said he is going to "do just fine" without US citizenship and is only loyal to Thailand. 

 

It is the first step in his becoming Thai - a lifelong wish since he came here with missionary parents from Wisconsin. 

 

Udom spoke to Thaivisa this morning saying that he has considered himself as a Thai his entire life and hopefully that soon will be a reality.

 

Udom, now 42, was not born in Thailand. He was born in Port Washington, Wisconsin, in 1976 and came to Thailand in 1978.

 

He works for a company called Farang Muang Phrae Lt.Part exporting hammocks. He says he has had a work permit and paid taxes for years and years but often goes online to say that the jewel in the crown is missing - Thai nationality!

 

So yesterday he went to the US consulate to begin that process so he can be considered as much a Thai as his wife Kanita, 44, and daughter Venus, 4. 

 

He said: "What the Thai authorities are requesting is that I show evidence that I have stated my intent to formally renounce my American citizenship after I have received my Thai citizenship. I have to show that as part of my application.

 

He was keen to stress that he has not given up anything yet. His consulate visit was just a required first step to discuss the consequences.

 

He continued: "I have identified as a Thai person my entire life. For me being a Thai citizen would mean that finally I can fully identify with the country I am loyal to, Thailand!

 

"The consulate told me yesterday what I would be giving up. It sounds like I'm going to do just fine without American citizenship when the day comes. 

 

"I mean no disrespect to the American people but for me and who I am Thailand is the only citizenship I will ever need. My understanding is that dual nationality is possible but I have always and consistently said that I will only hold one citizenship because I am loyal to only one country, Thailand".

 

Udom has featured in many fun videos on Facebook over the last few years making thousands, of what he hopes to be his new compatriots, laugh out loud. 

Source: CM108

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-09-18

 

 

 

[ezzra]

Funny.. half of the people in Thailand will give their right arm to just do the opposite, renounce thai citizenship and become an american, go figure...

[stravers]

I am a farang who can speak Thai very well.

I meet great Thais because there's no language barrier.

When they start getting under my skin, I can easily bounce to another country (I have). 

Best of both worlds....

[Thailand]

When he gets his citizenship first thing will be his army call up papers.

[CharlieH]

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[guzzi850m2]

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

When he gets his citizenship first thing will be his army call up papers.

Doubt it; he is 42 years old.

 

Good luck to Khun Udom getting his wish fulfilled.

 

 

[Thian]

I liked that movie of him and his ants....

[gk10002000]

well, giving up USA citizenship may sound like a good idea now, but later, now lets assume the USA still exists, he won't be eligible for any Medicare or any other federal benefits.  Americans can hold dual citizenship, but if the Thais are expecting or demanding him to give up USA allegiance, well, so be it.  One makes their bed, one sleeps in it.

[Jingthing]

Not that I'm interested or could ever qualify for Thai citizenship but do the Thai authorities really require showing evidence of renouncing your current citizenship?!?

First I ever heard of that. 

The USA allows dual citizenship and so does Thailand.

So is that a real policy or just some odd "requirement" that this celeb was hit with? 

 

To add, an increasing number of Americans are giving up their citizenship for pretty obvious (taxation) reasons:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/01/why-americans-are-giving-up-citizenship-in-record-numbers/

 

Quote

Why Americans are giving up citizenship in record numbers

 

[BestB]

He has lived in Thailand since he was 2 years old, only natural that he feels he is more Thai than American 

[moe666]

52 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

well, giving up USA citizenship may sound like a good idea now, but later, now lets assume the USA still exists, he won't be eligible for any Medicare or any other federal benefits.  Americans can hold dual citizenship, but if the Thais are expecting or demanding him to give up USA allegiance, well, so be it.  One makes their bed, one sleeps in it.

It appears he will be living in Thailand where he cannot use his medicare even if he qualifies.

[canopus1969]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Not that I'm interested or could ever qualify for Thai citizenship but do the Thai authorities really require showing evidence of renouncing your current citizenship?!?

First I ever heard of that. 

The USA allows dual citizenship and so does Thailand.

So is that a real policy or just some odd "requirement" that this celeb was hit with? 

 

To add, an increasing number of Americans are giving up their citizenship for pretty obvious (taxation) reasons:

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/06/01/why-americans-are-giving-up-citizenship-in-record-numbers/

 

 

Yes, you have to say your are renouncing your citizenship

[GinBoy2]

Pay the money and renounce your citizenship.

Does anyone actually know who he is?

I'd never heard of the guy, so for me it's yet another of the 'Oh Well' stories that I don't care about

[Jimbo in Thailand]

2 hours ago, stravers said:

I am a farang who can speak Thai very well.

I meet great Thais because there's no language barrier.

When they start getting under my skin, I can easily bounce to another country (I have). 

Best of both worlds....

LOL, no need to leave the kingdom stravers, just do like I do and pretend you can't speak/understand Thai when a local starts getting under your skin.  Of course, I'm assuming it's not your Thai babe, but a stranger, or 2 or 3.  Yep, I've long known that the "language barrier" can be a very good thing at times.  

[worgeordie]

What happens if he gives up his US citizenship, then cannot get Thai citizenship,

he's going to be a stateless and we know how they are treated in Thailand.he's

got to think this through carefully.

regards Worgeordie

[zaphod reborn]

Renouncing US citizenship is increasing in popularity, because the IRS demands ex-pats to file tax returns and pay taxes on income in excess of the Treaty on Dual Taxation limits.  I can't blame this guy at all.  I would do the same, if I could get a passport from another country.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, stravers said:

I am a farang who can speak Thai very well.

I meet great Thais because there's no language barrier.

When they start getting under my skin, I can easily bounce to another country (I have). 

Best of both worlds....

Or you can say 'mai phut Thai' (not speak Thai).

 

Many times I have realized that in the given situation it would be better to keep saying no speak Thai. And I guess many other farang do the same.

 

Live here long term and it's fairly easy to make the realization that the conversation if going to quickly get to requests for money etc.

 

When my Thai son (his face is very Thai, he speaks perfect Thai and perfect English) got serious with his now wife I met many of her family. Quite a few of them in their first sentence asked for money, motorcycles, pick-up trucks etc. I just gave blank looks and said 'no Thai'.

 

Several times they would then talk to my son in Thai 'tell your father I want...........'.

 

My son's response every time 'ask him yourself'.  End of situation.

 

The word soon spread around that it was fruitless to bring up the subject of money, pick-ups, etc. 

 

A farang buddy did something similar, but his Thai wife's older brother thought he could be smarter, he got another villager to write a note in English 'I want xmillion baht cash and a BMW car'.

 

He gave the note to the farang and farang quickly gave the note to his Thai wife. Older brother grabbed the note and gave it again to the farang. 

 

Farangs' wife quickly said 'my husband cannot read' and threw the note away.

 

End of incident. 

 

 

[meechai]

45 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

What happens if he gives up his US citizenship, then cannot get Thai citizenship,

he's going to be a stateless and we know how they are treated in Thailand.he's

got to think this through carefully.

regards Worgeordie

 

Actually as he has probably already found out...None can renounce their citizenship

unless they already hold dual citizenship.

You cannot become a stateless person if you hold one citizenship already

 

Also this guy has been around a long time. Speaks very well etc but if he has not secured Thai Nationality by now

he never will & surely cannot force Thailand into giving him citizenship with this show he is putting on now.

 

100% The US consulate has already told him...No problem if you want out just show  your new citizenship & we will cancel your US citizenship.

 

Lastly you do not need to give up citizenship to gain Thai citizenship.

Ask any of the many westerners who have gained Thai citizenship including those on this forum like dbrenn

 

 

[DrTuner]

They let people split their tongues, get full body tattoos, drink their brains to mush .. in that spirit, give the man what he wants.

[Ossy]

He's joking, of course ?

[Borzandy]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

is only loyal to Thailand

Brainless as Thai, he s sure not American.

[BEngBKK]

So what happens, if he fails the test...

 

Not American.. Not Thai....

[Dinobot]

Good for him!

[bendejo]

What some people will do just for discounts!

 

 

[DoctorG]

15 minutes ago, BEngBKK said:

So what happens, if he fails the test...

 

Not American.. Not Thai....

I was going to respond to worgeordie's post but meechai already did that, so I will respond to you just in case you did not see it.

As I read the story he needed to just show the Thai authorities that he has begun the process with the US Embassy.

No cancellation will be done until he can show that his Thai application has been successful.

[bendejo]

2 hours ago, meechai said:

100% The US consulate has already told him...No problem if you want out just show  your new citizenship & we will cancel your US citizenship.

 

Not that easy to do.  Uncle Sam will want a piece of your income for the next so-many years.

 

 

[Neeranam]

Much ado about nothing.

 

How can he live here so long and not know the procedure - he doesn't have to give up his U.S. citizenship.

I was only asked to get a letter from the UK embassy stating that I INTENDED to give up my UK citizenship, I'm not actually going to do it.

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, meechai said:

100% The US consulate has already told him...No problem if you want out just show  your new citizenship & we will cancel your US citizenship.

Only if he pays $2350.

[Puccini]

3 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Yes, you have to say your are renouncing your citizenship

Is it an official government form the applicant for naturalisation as a Thai national needs to sign, or does the applicant have to compose his own text?

[Jingthing]

OK, I think I get it now.

You need to state an intention.

Then after you become a Thai citizen, you don't need to actually honor that.

Now, that is funny!