Let us be clear on one thing first. Private adoption is not allowed in Thailand. But then, it still happens! Despite the safeguards set by the Thai authorities on both domestic and inter-country adoption, a few still skirt the rules for their “convenience.”
Take the case of one wealthy guy who became tired because of the long wait for child-matching. He “searched” for a child to adopt, paid the family a hefty sum, brought the child and one parent to his country to formalize the adoption there, believing that their family’s influence with the local courts would be enough to get the adoption through. The court he went to gave him a big “no” with a stern order to return the child to his Thai family and to follow the proper adoption procedure.
There are no shortcuts to legal adoption in Thailand (http://www.siam-legal.com/litigation/adoption-in-thailand.php). More than fulfilling a desire to experience parenting, we must also learn to share the government’s goal of placing children with worthy families, which it can only do through stringent legal processes.
Thailand is a strong advocate of legal adoption. Proof to this is their being a signatory to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption which was concluded May 1993 and placed in force on May 1995.
As a signatory to the convention, Thailand submits itself to sharing the purpose of protecting children and their families against illegal adoption, and the prevention of abduction, sale and unlawful traffic of children. In fact, Thailand has made strong statements and policies against private adoption which was rampant in the Kingdom before the Convention’s ratification. Thailand now strictly complies with convention standards in the placement of children for intercountry adoption.
This article was provided by Siam Legal, an international law firm with offices in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Phuket, and Samui. Siam Legal publishes Thailand adoption (http://www.siam-legal.com/legal_services/thailand-adoption.php) guides on its website.
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