Who in their right mind would pay anyone any money for "world citizen" cards which promise the card bearers the right to travel anywhere in the country and around the world without ID cards and passports?
But for stateless people like Noot, an ethnic Shan woman, the offer was irresistible. All her life, she has suffered seeing life opportunities pass her by just because the law does not recognise her existence. Like hundreds of thousands of other ethnic minorities without legal documents, Noot is not allowed to travel outside her community, thus limiting her job opportunities. If they venture out, police extortion _ and sexual harassment for women _ are constant threats. When sick, they are afraid to go to the hospital, not only because of poverty, but also because of fear of deportation.
In addition, their efforts to apply for legal status take ages while so many people who are willing to pay under the table quickly get the precious ID cards they long for.
So when representatives of the Law Enforcement Investigation Organisation told her that the "world citizen" card can ensure her all basic rights are guaranteed by the United Nations for life, and that this card can be used to speed up the application process for Thai citizenship, she dug out 2,500 baht from her hard-earned savings to pay for it.
Noot is not alone. According to the investigative TV programme Perd Pom on Thai PBS which was aired on Monday night, tens of thousands of hilltribe people who are stateless have fallen prey to this shameful scam.
"I can understand why people fell for it. I used to be a stateless person myself," said Mueda Nawanat, 26, a human rights activist.
"Ours is a life of deep fear and insecurity. Our ultimate hope is to get out of it, to have a life with some legal safety," she said.
"The victims are not stupid. They just don't have the right information. They don't know they already have some rights under the law and there are procedures in place to get them legal status.
"The problem is the red tape, officials' prejudice against the hill peoples, and the rampant corruption. So the stateless are easily conned by people who exploit their weaknesses."
In the Perd Pom TV programme, the founder of the Law Enforcement Investigation Organisation, Anant Buranawanit, distanced himself by telling the reporter that his organisation is being abused by con men. Meanwhile, a representative said the money paid is voluntarily donated. Some hill people, however, said they paid more than 12,000 baht to get what they were told were premium cards.
The organisation has offices in several provinces. Its Chiang Mai office operates openly right in the busy bus terminal. Its Thai acronym Or Tor Ror sounds authoritative because it's the same as that of a police chief. Its website carries a royal emblem as well as logos of the national flag and the constitution.
Ms Mueda said she once entered the premises to find out what was going on. "I, too, was told the 'world citizen' card would give me all my basic rights if I paid for it. It's certainly not a donation," she said.
Noot, she said, sought her advice after receiving a phone call from a representative there, asking for 30,000 baht for an ID card.
"Noot is already legally entitled to Thai citizenship because she was born in Thailand before 1992. That person knows the law and tried to fleece those who don't know their rights like Noot."
In the TV programme, the victims' faces are blurred and their names withheld. No one has yet dared file charges against the organisation.
"They fear for their safety. Also that they will be deported," said Mueda." Their fear shows how powerless the stateless are in society."
How to address their plight? Of course, the authorities must get rid of corruption and give the stateless legal status, access to public services, and protect their human rights.
But first thing first. This is a public fraud, plain and simple.The scam mongers must be where they belong _ in jail.
Sanitsuda Ekachai is Editorial Pages Editor, Bangkok Post.