Nine babies found in Bangkok 'surrogate condo' Japanese man claims to be biological father 7 Aug 2014 Paritta Wangkiat and Lamphai Intathep DNA testing will be conducted to establish the relationships of nine babies from surrogate mothers and a Japanese businessman who claims to be their biological father as a fresh surrogacy scandal emerged in Thailand. Anti-human trafficking suppression police have stepped in to investigate the Japanese surrogacy case which came to light on Tuesday when nine surrogate babies were found in a city condo. Pol Gen Aek Angsananont, deputy national police chief, said the DNA testing is a crucial part of the police investigation into the latest surrogacy case which is likely to be more complicated than the baby Gammy affair. The new case, which has raised questions over the relative ease with which foreigners can come to Thailand to have surrogate babies, was exposed on Tuesday when authorities, acting on a tip-off, found nine babies, six boys and three girls, aged from two weeks to two years, in rented rooms at The Niche ID Lat Phrao condominium in soi Lat Phrao 130 in Bang Kapi district. The authorities also found seven nannies and a 20-year-old pregnant woman. All nine babies, as well as the one being carried by the pregnant woman, are claimed to be surrogates. The babies have been taken to a state-run nursing home in Nonthaburi's Pak Kret district. Shortly after the search, lawyer Ratthaprathan Tulathorn contacted police and claimed he is representing a Japanese man. He said his client is the father of all the surrogate babies. The surrogacy arrangements were legal and no women were forced to carry a child. Mr Ratthaprathan provided information about the father, but claimed he had no details about the biological mothers, police said. They declined to name the Japanese man. Pol Gen Aek said Wednesday that police have questioned all the nannies as well as the pregnant woman and are asking the Japanese embassy to assist them in contacting the man for questioning. "If the Japanese man turns out to be the father of the babies, the question is why he wants so many babies," he said. More details of the investigation, which is headed by Pol Maj Gen Chayut Thanathaweesap, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, are expected in a week, he said.
SURROGATE UPDATE: Japanese man likely fathered 13 babies
Published: 10 Aug 2014 at 09.00 | Viewed: 22,418 | Comments: 0Online news: Learning From NewsWriter: Jon Fernquest
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Latest (Sunday): 13, not nine, surrogate babies are believed to have been fathered by the Japanese man who has now fled Thailand together with a Japanese woman who is also thought to be involved in the case. 