Daughter’s U.S. citizenship a dream come true for dying Las Vegas man

In February, Pricha "Alex" Vongchaichinsri got his dying wish when he became a U.S. citizen. Earlier this month, he got another wish when his 10-year-old daughter was granted citizenship.

"His biggest dream of seeing that his daughter became a U.S. citizen has been completed," immigration attorney Vicenta Montoya said.

Vongchaichinsri, a native of Thailand, was diagnosed last year with advanced lung cancer. Montoya said he wanted to become an American citizen to make it easier for his wife and daughter to become citizens.

In early April, Vongchaichinsri's daughter, Lynrada, and his wife, Lakana Srangbanditskul, were approved as permanent residents. Because Lynrada's father was already a U.S. citizen, the new status automatically qualified her to become a citizen, Montoya said.

"He's very happy now that he's relieved of this burden," the lawyer said.

Montoya said Srangbanditskul must wait at least three years to become a U.S. citizen.

Senior U.S. District Judge Lloyd George conducted Vongchaichinsri's naturalization ceremony in the man's Las Vegas apartment after immigration officials learned about his failing health. Officials then accelerated the process for his wife and daughter to become permanent residents.

"Immigration really pulled out all the stops for him," Montoya said.

The lawyer said Vongchaichinsri and his family planned to leave Saturday for Thailand, where he will undergo further cancer treatment. He could not be reached for comment before his departure date.

Montoya said the family plans to return in a month.

Vongchaichinsri, 46, moved to the United States in 1976 and to Las Vegas two years ago. The nonsmoker was working as a craps dealer at the Gold Coast in August when he received the news that he had lung cancer.

"He is really at peace with the concept that he is dying," Montoya said.

CARRI GEER THEVENOT

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District is appealing a decision made by the Employee Management Relations Board in a dispute with the employees' union.

In March, the EMRB ruled that the library district had to bargain with Teamsters Local 14 on the issue of seniority-based promotions and filling job vacancies.

The board said the proposals "significantly relate" to mandatory subjects of bargaining under state law.

Contract talks between the library district and the union stalled last year over the issue of how to promote employees and fill vacancies.

Previous agreements between the two parties had included provisions whereby employees with seniority would receive promotions and have the first choice to fill vacancies at other branches.

But when the last agreement expired last year, the library district said it wanted those provisions removed in the new contract, arguing that hiring decisions were up to management and not negotiable under state law.

Bud Pierce, human resources director for the library district, told the EMRB last year that employers at the library district should have the choice to hire who they think is most qualified, not who has been employed with the district the longest.

The union disagreed.

"It's about workers' rights," Gary Mauger, chief executive officer of Teamsters Local 14, said in September.

The library district has appealed the EMRB decision, and District Judge Valerie Adair will rule later this year in the case.

Mauger said he wanted to come to a peaceful agreement with the district.

"We're going to probably sit down and work out something in the interim," Mauger said. "I don't think it would be in the district's best interests to keep this going."

LAWRENCE MOWER

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