Legal Names On Thai Birth Certificate

[singburisam]

Many years ago, I obtained birth certificates for each of my luuk khreung children born in Thailand. I gave them each English forenames to go with their English surname -- all spelled in Thai of course -- and there was no problem. IIRC, I obtained a preliminary birth certificate from hospital, with name and spelling of my choice, then went to District Registration Office, where changing the name's spelling was an option. No objection was raised to the names. And, in fact, I was never asked even to show a marriage certificate showing me as married to the mother.

A friend registered a birth four years ago and tells me the rules had changed completely by then. He was required to select a Thai first name, but could put his intended English forename as a middle name. (And, or so I'm told, he wouldn't have been allowed to appear on birth certificate as father without presenting a marriage certificate.)

Can someone confirm what the law is? Has the law changed, or did my friend just encounter a difficult District? (He says the name was rejected without him ever going to District Registration -- the hospital apparently completes the registration by computer now, but the "computer rejected" the "non-Thai" name.)

[mike123ca]

When my first son was born, the wife and I agreed to thai first name and English middle name and my family name.

Since the gave birth to the boy, she is in the hospital and I don't speak thai, so we asked her sister in law to

register the baby for the birth certificate. We get the paper and and it only has his first and family name.

She thought it would not be good for the boy to have an English middle name.

[Mario2008]

Probably be the computer programming in this case. Under Thai law, a name must have a meaning in Thai language so you cannot use a foreign name. An exception is made for names if one of the parents is a foreigner, but some amphurs will insist that in that case the father must be the legal father. Under the law they do have a case with that, but a lot of amphurs seem to be less strict.

[themadpoorfreelover]

I had no problems registering my son with a first, middle and last name, all European names on his birth certificate and the family book. my wife did it at the Phan thong hospital first then the Phan Thong amphur put his name(s) on his birth certificate and family book.

the names were all written in Thai of course. when it came time for me to make him an Australian citizen i specified his name to the translator so that there would not be any translation errors. since this translation certificate was first used on his citizenship papers and now on his passport, he got a first, middle and last European names done all correctly.

but the Thai people still cant/wont pronounce his name properly. his name is Augusto but Thais like to call him AWGUT.. it is kind of belittling but he will be going to school in Australia, so it doesn't really matter when he is older.

And he has my last name.

Its strange. Maybe i got a good amphur. I was still working in Australia when he was born, i didnt come to the Amphur, but they believed my wife and put my name on the certificate as I asked. 3 names in total. I didnt want him to Have a Thai name at all, neither did his mother.. (she is from Issan)

[Mario2008]

Being married to the mother should make all the difference. It is when the parents are no married that issues might arise.

[TommoPhysicist]

Different games are played by different Amphur offices.

I didn't have any problems with names last year at my local office.

[themadpoorfreelover]

Being married to the mother should make all the difference. It is when the parents are no married that issues might arise.

Hi we were not married and are not but they happily put my last name on the birth certificate, my TGF said that her Aunty had to go with her (her mum was not around for the birth, she is a drug addict), and Im sure she said at first they gave her a hard time when she rocked up with just fotocopy of my passport. and she had signed a bunch of papers to verify the fact I am the father. Is it possible that the Amphur legitimized me as the father on his birth certificate registration day????

I have tried to talk this out with the amphur and my wife but they don't seem to really understand or care.

(I call her my wife its just habit)

Edited November 29, 2012 by themadpoorfreelover

[Mario2008]

That would not be legal, but not impossible in Thailand.

In your case you have to go to court to be legitimised as the father, (or marry the mother). Not untill the child is about 7 years old can you legitimize the child at the amphur (with approval from both mother and child).