Police plan to give Pisit Tantiwattanakul, director of the All IVF clinic, until Friday to turn himself in to hear surrogacy case charges against him, chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's (MPB) Division 5 Pol Maj Gen Suebsak Pansura has said.
The Japanese man who apparently has fathered at least nine babies carried by surrogate mothers is seen in a photo taken when he passed through immigration (left) and in a copy of his passport. Mr Shigeta has allegedly claimed he wanted to father 1,000 babies by surrogacy.
Police are expected to summon Dr Pisit Monday following a petition lodged by the Department of Health Service Support that he broke the law governing healthcare establishments in providing surrogacy services at his clinic.
If he fails to meet police on that day, police said they may give him one more chance to comply before issuing a warrant for his arrest.
Pol Col Chaiya Kongsap, Lumpini police chief, said authorities believe Dr Pisit is still in Thailand.
The charge against Dr Pisit carries a relatively light punishment of a one-year jail term and a maximum fine of 20,000 baht.
All IVF is accused of providing surrogacy services to Mitsutoki Shigeta, a Japanese businessman who reportedly fathered 15 babies to surrogate mothers in Thailand, including nine babies found at a Lat Phrao condominium.
Police suspect Mr Shigeta's motive may involve human trafficking.
Pol Maj Gen Thitiratch Nongharnpitak, MPB deputy chief, said Mr Shigeta has yet to confirm whether he would report to police between Monday and Wednesday as indicated he would by his lawyer.
Police will seek cooperation from Japanese police if any legal action is taken against him.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health Service Support has sent the names of three doctors, including a doctor at All IVF clinic, to the Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) to take action for their failing to comply with regulations in providing surrogacy services, said the department's senior lawyer, Chatree Pinyai.
Vichien: "Mothers must register for proper medical care"
Samphan Komrit, MCT secretary-general, said the MCT would take at least six months to investigate those doctors.
Officials, meanwhile, have pledged to care for surrogate mothers, calling on them to register with authorities so that proper medical care can be provided for them and their babies.
"The health of the surrogate children is our concern. The surrogate mothers should show up and register themselves to gain access to proper medical care and reduce possible health risks,'' said Vichien Chavalit, permanent secretary of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.
Mr Vichien also said more should be done to protect mothers' mental and physical well-being, as well as to ensure babies are given proper proof of who their parents are.
Details of the registration method are being finalised.
The ministry's children's welfare protection committee recently called a meeting to discuss ways to protect surrogate mothers and their babies in light of a new law regulating surrogacy pending before the National Legislative Assembly.
Protection would apply whether they have already given birth or are now pregnant.
The move comes in the wake of reports that a large number of women are acting as surrogate mothers for foreign couples through assisted reproductive technologies.
Australian authorities have confirmed as many as 200 Australian couples have commissioned pregnancies through Thai surrogates, and an estimated 150 babies are in the care of Thai surrogate mothers.
Australian ambassador James Wise previously raised the issue with the Foreign Ministry and has held talks with officials from the Justice and Social Development and Human Security ministries.
He has asked the Thai administration for a "transition arrangement" to assist Australian couples and their prospective babies.
A prime concern is that women, afraid they have committed a crime, may decide to abort the foetuses.
One impact of the controversy is that some private hospitals, which have previously taken care of surrogate mothers, now do not want to be linked to the controversy and have arranged for the women to move to government hospitals.
"We heard that some hospitals and clinics have refused to provide medical care to the surrogate mothers for fear of being implicated in illegal surrogacy services. So, if the surrogate mothers feel their health is at risk, let us know," said Yanee Lertkrai, director-general of the Department of Social Development and Welfare.
Somsak Lohlekha, MCT president, called on doctors and hospitals not to refuse surrogate mothers for their children's sake.
He said it was the duty of all doctors to provide care to every patient.
Wiboonphan Thitadilok, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president, said hospitals usually provide services to all pregnant women without asking for the backgrounds of their pregnancies.
"No one should have to worry about it," she said.
Sappasit Kumprabhan, director of the Centre for the Protection of Children's Rights Foundation, said there are still misunderstandings about the surrogacy bill.
He said because the bill would outlaw commercial surrogacy, some are concerned that newborns would be abandoned by the foreign parents who commissioned them.
But even though the current law provides parental rights to the surrogate mother, there was an agreement committed to and specified in advance that the surrogate child belonged to the commissioning parents. Therefore, that agreement must be respected, he said.