Big Rarn - Police Lieutenant General Nopphasin is advancing efforts with DOPA N.I.C.E. to expose the "Fake Thai Fathers" network that illegally registered nearly 1,500 foreign children. They raided private hospitals, arresting 4 suspects, and revealed results from operations conducted between 9 and 24 July 2026.
At 09:00 on 24 July 2026, Police General Samran Nualma, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, along with Police Lieutenant General Nopphasin Poolsawat, Chief of Staff to the Police Commissioner, Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Police Major General Pallop Aermla, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Police Major General Thirachai Chamnanmo, Deputy Commissioner of the Provincial Police Region, and Police Major General Chotiwat Luangwilai, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Investigation Bureau, led police forces and representatives from multiple agencies including the Department of Provincial Administration, DOPA N.I.C.E., Anti-Money Laundering Office, Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission, Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Department of Health Service Support, and related agencies to raid the "Fake Thai Fathers" network. This network was illegally registering over 1,500 foreign children. They arrested 4 suspects: two Thai men, Mr. Mong and Mr. Wo (the fake fathers), and two Chinese nationals, Ms. Xi, a Chinese mother, and Mr. Hu, the biological Chinese father.
They also searched a three-story townhouse in a luxury housing estate in the Ratchada-Mengjai area on Pracha Uthit Road, Wang Thonglang District, Bangkok; one private hospital; and one related district office to collect further evidence.
Police General Samran stated that public complaints and evidence led police to discover a network illegally helping foreign parents obtain Thai nationality for their children by hiring Thai men, who are not the biological fathers, to register as the fathers. This enabled the children to receive birth certificates, household registrations, ID cards, and rights as Thai citizens, all based on false information.
Investigations by the Royal Thai Police in cooperation with the DOPA N.I.C.E. task force found over 1,483 suspicious children linked to eight suspect hospitals. Earlier checks at one hospital identified 62 suspicious cases, with 19 confirmed fraudulent and another 43 under further investigation.
Police General Samran added that during this operation, one private hospital in the Rama 9 area was investigated, uncovering 3 suspicious children, with 2 cases confirmed fraudulent and 1 still under review. Subsequently, DOPA N.I.C.E. filed a complaint at Huai Khwang Police Station to proceed with legal action against those involved.
Police gathered detailed evidence on site, including witness interviews, medical record inspections, birth registration documents, and DNA tests of the fathers, mothers, and children. It was found that a Chinese woman and her Chinese husband wanted their two children to acquire Thai nationality, so they contacted brokers who arranged for Thai men to register as the fathers instead of the biological father. Two Thai men, Mr. Mong and Mr. Wo, were hired. Neither knew the Chinese woman previously but agreed to use their personal documents and claim paternity in exchange for payment. Mr. Wo also had a criminal record for drug and gambling offenses in Phichit Province. Police believe this network operates systematically, exploiting loopholes in the child registration process to illegally grant Thai nationality to foreign children.
Police General Samran revealed that all suspects have been arrested and charged with jointly providing false information to officials, using forged government documents, and committing fraud in the civil registration to unlawfully obtain Thai nationality. Additionally, the registrar has revoked the registrations and Thai nationality of all children obtained through fraud, and coordinated with immigration authorities to consider legal action against the involved foreign nationals.
Results from operations dismantling the "Fake Thai Fathers" network between 9 and 24 July revealed 22 suspicious children, and arrests of 37 individuals including 16 fake Thai fathers, 13 Chinese mothers, 6 Chinese fathers, 1 government official, and 1 hospital staff member.
The Royal Thai Police confirmed they will continue expanding efforts to suppress such networks to protect the integrity of the civil registration system, prevent infiltration by transnational crime, and maintain national security. They also urge the public to report suspicious activities to any police station or via the 24-hour hotline 1599.