Thailand issues 46 arrest warrants in 'fake father' citizenship scam

Thai authorities have issued 46 arrest warrants as part of a third-phase crackdown on a fraudulent network known as the “fake fathers” scam. The scheme involved Thai men being paid to falsely claim paternity of children born to foreign nationals, allowing the children to illegally acquire Thai citizenship and rights to asset ownership.

Investigations conducted by the Immigration Bureau, Metropolitan Police, and the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) revealed that the fraud involved falsified birth registrations at several private hospitals, with the complicity of government officials. DNA testing performed on 24 children identified in the latest phase confirmed that the Thai men listed on the birth certificates shared no biological connection with the children.

The warrants cover a wide range of suspects, including government officials, hospital staff, foreign mothers, the Thai men acting as false fathers, and the actual biological fathers. Authorities are also investigating whether the scheme was used to facilitate illegal land and real estate ownership through nominee structures.