A “baby factory” was discovered in a Bangkok apartment in the summer of 2014. Common paternity was quickly established through DNA tests (see “Baby factory” in Thailand – doctor ready to give himself up to the police”). Wealthy Japanese heir, Mitsutoki Shigeta, has just been granted permission to keep his thirteen children born to surrogate mothers in Thailand. The latter have signed an agreement to relinquish their parental rights. Potential compensation for the surrogate mothers has not been disclosed.
The Bangkok Children’s Court referred to “the happiness of the thirteen children born to surrogate mothers” to justify its decision to grant “sole parental rights” to Mitsutoki Shigeta, confirming that he has no “history of bad behaviour.”
The Thai surrogacy market has expanded in recent years due to a legal loophole. However, this case led to the 2015 ban on surrogacy for foreigners.
AFP, Thanaporn Promyamyai et Sippachai Kunnuwong (20/02/2018)