China backs Thai probe into fake father network

China respects Thailand’s ongoing police investigation and judicial procedures in a case concerning a fake Thai fathers network that helped Chinese children obtain Thai citizenship through fraudulent birth registrations.

China also urged Thai agencies to protect their legitimate rights, particularly those of minors, according to a post by a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok today.

The Chinese government has consistently urged Chinese citizens living abroad to comply with the laws and regulations of their countries of residence, it said.

“China hopes Thai authorities will safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese citizens during legal proceedings, especially those of minors,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, police today arrested a Chinese couple and two Thai men in separate raids in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan provinces for their alleged involvement in the fake Thai fathers network.

In the first case, Suk was arrested in Bangkok’s Saphan Sung district under a warrant as he was allegedly hired to pose as the father of a child and sign documents acknowledging paternity on behalf of the child's biological parents, Zhao Z. and Zhuang Z.

In a separate arrest, police later arrested Zhao Z. and Zhuang Z. at their residence in Nonthaburi province.

Chatchawan, who was allegedly hired to act as a “fake father”, was arrested at his home in Samut Prakan province under a warrant.

Meanwhile, Ratawit Jitsujaritwong, a legal specialist at the Bureau of Investigation and Legal Affairs, said today that police have so far arrested 32 suspects out of 35 who were wanted under arrest warrants.

The 32 suspects comprise 14 “fake fathers”, 11 Chinese mothers, five Chinese fathers and two officials, he said.

Police said the investigation grew out of a 2024 money-laundering case involving alleged Chinese grey-capital figure Chen Yinlai.

Investigators discovered that his three children had illegally obtained Thai citizenship through fraudulent birth registrations, leading police to uncover a wider network.

The probe later led to a raid on a luxury home in Samut Sakhon, where two Chinese suspects were arrested and evidence of illegal birth registrations was seized.

The suspects allegedly confessed that they had used a Chinese broker to arrange a Thai “fake father” and obtain fraudulent birth documents, exposing the operation of the wider gang.

Investigators found that some fake fathers claimed paternity of children from several unrelated families and, in some cases, registered more than one child.

The investigation is expanding to another four or five private hospitals in the Thon Buri area after evidence pointed to additional Chinese children with questionable birth records being born at hospitals other than the one already under investigation.

Police said the cases raised serious questions about hospital procedures.

Normally, parents purchasing maternity packages and registering births are required to undergo strict document verification and identity checks.

However, investigators found that in many of the suspicious cases, the alleged father never appeared during the birth process but was nevertheless listed as the child's father on the birth certificate.