Before my Thai girlfriend gave birth to our son, I ran away (not proud about it but...). I returned when our son was about two months old and have been with them ever since. Panicking, she put someone else's name on the birth certificate (because it had to be done in 30 days and she was scared).

That (Thai) name is a distant relative who consented - to help her and the family out.

We have never dared to go about changing the papers because she is sure he was committing a crime (perhaps she was too) with the false declaration. Is this true, or if we all go to the amphur together - including our son - will everything be forgiven? We married a couple of years after the birth (in Hong Kong, actually).

I know it's a daft situation and was all my fault, but it would be good to put it right if we can do so WITHOUT getting the old guy into trouble - he has no axe to grind either way if he doesn't get pitched into jail. IF - and it's probably a big IF - we can do this, would they let us use my farang name? or would we have to change the son's name to her maiden name?

Anyone any ideas?

If she's not afraid to tell them that she banged both her relative and you, then you could try and get a test that shows you're the father of the child and then go and ask to have it changed that way.

But she didn't bang her relative (anyway, it's only second cousin or something, it would hardly be incest).

as said, do a DNA test, and request the change.

I'm lost why did she not write your name? The only reason this happens is the guy named is actually the real father this cousin or uncle being named is just nonsense.

Your not the first to post this issue do a search I commented on the last one and got no reply back as to a reason why this happens.

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Understood, but the point is, won't the relative get into trouble for having his name there in the first place? That is why my wife has never dared to go near the issue.

I went through a similar scenario as my now wife and I were estranged when our first son was born. She put no fathers name on the birth cert. I was able to get my name added by going to the hospital then the Amphur and declaring myself as the father, so he got my surname but still had a Thai first name.

we are now just about to get his name first changed. We failed when we tried as "citizens", with the woman at the Amphur telling me it wasn't possible to change his Thai first name to a Farang name, and I'd sort of forgotten about it, then related to another matter came into contact with a local lawyer and he basically laughed and said no problem, pay them. He has negotiated a "fee" and is doing the deed as I write.

The need for a lawyer to assist will probably depend from Amphur to Amphur as I believe change of name is actually a properly legal procedure and quite common amongst Thai people but the change to a Farang name caused problems and that's how we did it. I wouldn't worry at all about the relative and false declarations, just be up front and prepared to pay a "fee".

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Just talk to the amphur and see what they say. it is not uncommon that the name of a family member is put on the birth certificate to avoid the shame of a blank. I am sure the amphur will have seen such cases before.

if you prefer it less direct, call 1111 (government information line) and have her got the answer from them.