Fathers for hire: Thailand exposes alleged Chinese birth-certificate scam
Thai police have dismantled a criminal network that facilitated a birth-certificate scam, allowing children of Chinese nationals to obtain Thai citizenship through fraudulent paternity claims. The operation, dubbed 'removing the dragon’s scales,' resulted in the arrest of hospital and government officials.
Why it matters
The case exposes vulnerabilities in national registration systems and highlights concerns regarding illegal immigration and document fraud.
THONBURI, (Thailand): Thai police have arrested a hospital medical-records officer and a district office official in Thonburi over an alleged birth-registration racket that used fake Thai fathers to help children of Chinese nationals obtain Thai nationality.
The arrests were made on Thursday (July 9) under an operation codenamed “Thot Klet Mangkon”, or “removing the dragon’s scales”, led by police general Samran Nualma, deputy national police chief, and police lieutenant general Nopphasin Poolsawat, commissioner attached to the Royal Thai Police chief’s office.
They were joined by Metropolitan Police officers and Withun Sirinukun, deputy director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration.
Police said the operation targeted a network known as the “Chinese infant” gang, which allegedly arranged for Chinese women to give birth in Thailand and used Thai men to falsely claim paternity, allowing the children to be registered as Thai nationals.
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