Aggregated News
The surrogate mothers of 13 babies fathered by a Japanese businessman are suing Thai authorities and seeking to regain custody of the children, officials said Wednesday.
The Social Development and Human Security Ministry took 13 babies into custody last year after an investigation involving a Japanese man who had at least 16 babies via surrogates. In August, police raided a Bangkok condominium and found nine babies and nine nannies living in a few unfurnished rooms filled with baby bottles, bouncy chairs, play pens and diapers. They have since identified Mitsutoki Shigeta as the father of those babies — and seven others.
The women filed a lawsuit against the ministry in December after making requests to get back the children, said Suwanna Pinkaew, the director of Women and Children Welfare Protection Bureau, which takes care of the babies.
"After the requests were received, we have initiated and are in the process of evaluating the circumstances and the women's readiness before making a decision," Suwanna said. "It took us some time because they live in different provinces and we have just finished...