The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested a man they believe to be an agent for a transnational surrogacy ring after raiding three clinics in Bangkok and one building in Nong Khai.
According to DSI assistant spokesman Atsadawut Sripita and Pol Capt Tinnawut Seelapat, director of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Transnational Crime, DSI officials raided three locations in Bangkok and one in Nong Khai, a province that borders Laos, yesterday.
A one-year-old named Thaenthai went missing from the GS Kik nursery in Bangkok in February of last year, and this was part of the probe into a global surrogacy operation. Local authorities discovered that a criminal organization operating in the Central and Northeastern United States had taken the infant, which prompted the DSI to get involved.
During same time period, the DSI conducted a raid at a nursery in the Phon Phisai neighborhood of Nong Khai and discovered two infants who were allegedly born to paid surrogate moms. A bank book was also discovered by the police which revealed that an agent had hired around 20 surrogate moms who were paid between 450,000 and 500,000 baht every baby “delivered” to the criminal organization.
Since then, police have broadened their probe. On August 23rd, following the issuance of a search warrant, officers and officials from the Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Department of Health Service Support raided three clinics in Bangkok under the direction of DSI deputy director-general Pol Capt Piya Raksakul.
The fertility clinic on Ngam Wong Wan Road in the Chatuchak area was the target of the initial attack. According to Mr. Atsadawut, the DSI was able to locate a fertility specialist employed at the facility. He had helped surrogate moms with fertility issues by diagnosing and treating them for a fee.
In 2019, 2020, and 2021, the doctor did this. According to Mr. Atsadawut, police also discovered the medical files of other women who had participated as illegal surrogates.
The fertility clinic on Phetchaburi Road in the Bang Kapi neighborhood was the target of the second attack. The same doctor did fertility diagnoses there on a part-time basis.
Pathumwan district’s Phloenchit Road fertility clinic was the target of the most recent raid. Police say the doctor’s financial records prove he was involved in the clinic’s activities. An assistant spokesman for DSI said that the clinic had examined surrogate moms who had been compensated to serve as surrogates before sending them overseas to receive intracytoplasmic sperm injections. The passports of the surrogate moms and their children were also located by the police. According to Mr. Atsadawut, the facility does not have the necessary licensing to utilize or provide medical reproductive technology services.
For his alleged involvement, the DSI and the Nong Khai Provincial Police detained Sunate Chomsri on August 28. The authorities identified a list of surrogate moms that Mr. Sunate had recruited and paid, with the presumed parents-to-be being people from outside of the country.
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