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National Screening Mechanism — Protected Person status

ThailandHumanitarian protection

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Thailand Read the five questions ↓

What exactly is this: asylum, temporary protection, humanitarian admission, resettlement or another protection mechanism?

The National Screening Mechanism is a Thai national protection process, not an asylum system run by an international body. UNHCR records that the Royal Thai Government launched the NSM in September 2023 and describes it as a legal process created by the Royal Thai Government to identify individuals who may qualify for "Protected Person" status in Thailand. It is distinct from asylum: UNHCR states that the NSM is not part of the UNHCR process, that UNHCR has no control or authority over it, and that UNHCR's registration and Refugee Status Determination processes are completely separate from it.

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Which population, circumstances or geographic group does the mechanism cover?

The mechanism covers individuals who may qualify for "Protected Person" status in Thailand. The source describes the purpose of the status in practical terms: UNHCR points people to the NSM where they wish to seek protection from deportation by the Thai authorities. Beyond that, this source does not set out the qualifying criteria, the nationalities or circumstances covered, or how "Protected Person" is defined in Thai law, and it directs anyone seeking those details to the Thai Immigration Bureau's own channels.

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Limits of the record
  • Neither captured source states the legal definition of "Protected Person", the qualifying criteria, or which populations or circumstances the NSM covers.

Where can protection be requested, and is this a direct application, border/in-country request, referral or other process?

The request is made in person, in Bangkok, to the Thai Immigration Bureau. A person can file a request in person to be a Protected Person at Sub-Division 4 of the Immigration Bureau, at the Bangkhen Immigration Detention Center, Police Club, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Talat Bang Khen Sub-district, Lak Si District, Bangkok 10210. The NSM Office is under the Thai Immigration Bureau. It is a direct application rather than a referral, and a person can apply to both UNHCR and the NSM: applying to the NSM does not affect their UNHCR status.

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What happens after the request: registration, family handling, major support and rights where officially stated?

The immigration risk does not stop while the request is pending. UNHCR states that all NSM applicants are subject to Thai Immigration laws, and that a person without a valid visa or legal stay in Thailand is at risk of arrest, including by applying for the NSM. It records one specific assurance it received from the Royal Thai Government: that a person already on bail will not be arrested when applying for the NSM. The source does not describe registration steps, family handling, work rights, documentation issued, timelines or any support available during the process.

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Limits of the record
  • Neither source describes what happens after the request is filed: no timeline, no document issued, no family handling, no rights or support during the process.

Which competent authority, UN body or official assistance channel should the person use?

The competent authority is Sub-Division 4 of the Thai Immigration Bureau, which runs the NSM Office. For additional information UNHCR directs people to the official Facebook page of Sub-Division 4 of the Immigration Bureau, which includes answers to frequently asked questions about the NSM, and gives two telephone numbers: 02-0241622 for the pre-screening stage and 02-0245998 for the screening stage. UNHCR remains the separate channel for asylum itself and states that it has no control or authority over the NSM process.

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These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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