Public prosecutors have once again postponed a decision on the indictment of Dr Pisit Tantiwattanakul, whose All IVF Clinic provided a young Japanese businessman with multiple surrogacy services.
Dr Pisit Tantiwattanakul
Charoendet Salayapong, a public prosecutor at the Pathumwan court, said police investigators reported on Jan 6 they would postpone the delivery of their report for another 15 days. A decision on an indictment had earlier been postponed in November.
Public prosecutors in October instructed police to elaborate on the exact location of the surrogacy services at Dr Pisit's All IVF clinic in Ploenchit area, Bangkok, because the clinic has two floors.
They also instructed police to collect opinions on surrogacy from the Medical Council of Thailand.
Dr Pisit, 41, was due to report to public prosecutors on Thursday. Mr Charoendet said the doctor showed up on Wednesday and was told to report back on Feb 17 to learn whether he would be arraigned in court.
Police investigators have yet to gather opinions from experts at the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Mr Charoendet said.
The All IVF Clinic offered multiple surrogacy services to 25-year-old Japanese man Mitsutoki Shigeta, who reportedly fathered 15 babies by Thai surrogate mothers. Nine babies born to six women, including three sets of twins, were disovered in a raid on a condominium in Lat Phrao area of Bangkok last August. The Japanese father fled the country.
Police charged Dr Pisit with operating the clinic without authorisation and failure to comply with medical service laws. The offences carry possible punishment of up to three years in jail and/or fines of up to 60,000 baht. Dr Pisit denied all charges.
It is the fourth time a decision on whether to indict him or not has been delayed.