More Than 79,000 Orphans Adopted Since 1979

[george]

More than 79,000 orphans adopted since 1979

BANGKOK: -- More than 79,000 Thai orphans have been adopted by Thai and foreign families since 1979, a senior official said Tuesday.

The number of children taken into care by the Social Development and Welfare Department has dropped to 20-25 a month, compared to 40 per month in 2003, said Wallop Ploytaptim, permanent secretary of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.

From October 2005 to April this year, 137 abandoned babies were taken into the department's care, he said. Currently there are some 1,910 babies at its eight baby homes, while 2,749 elder children are at its orphanages.

Under the Adoption Act of 1979, the ministry has the responsibility of finding adoptive families for abandoned children and those children whose families cannot care for them, Wallop said.

The ministry has a procedure to ensure the legal and social suitability of adoptive families, and there is a six-month trial under the supervision of a social worker.

Since 1979 the ministry has given 79,570 children to adoptive families - 8,539 of them to foreign families. Between 2003 and 2005, only 13,031 children were adopted in Thailand - 11,347 by Thai families and 1,684 by foreigners, he added.

-- The Nation 2006-07-04

[Soju]

I wonder if there's any statistics on how many orphans there are that aren't adopted? And are orphanages full or is there enough space to care for all the orphans in Thailand? Which area of Thailand has the most orphans / has the greatest need for help?

[Scott]

I think the laws are stringent on freeing up a child for adoption. I know parents can leave their children at a temple--basically abandon them--and then come back years later to reclaim them when they are old enough to work.

Most laws here serve the family unit more than any one individual.

Anybody with more concrete knowledge of these things would be welcome to post relevant information, it would be interesting to know the laws for sure.

[Jai Dee]

Homecoming programme for adopted overseas Thai will be arranged this month

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry is to organize “homecoming” activities for Thai children adopted by foreign families between July 16 and 23.

Permanent-Secretary Wanlop Ploythapthim (วัลลภ พลอยทับทิม) said the forthcoming homecoming programme, the fifth of its kind, is meant to have Thai children raised abroad learn about “being Thai”.

Mr. Wanlop said 162 families from 15 countries and their adopted Thai children will take part in the activities this year.

Mr. Wanlop said the ministry has so far handed 79,570 children to adoptive families, 71,031 of them to Thai parents and 8,539 to foreigners. These families have to take care of the children for at least six months before their applications for adoption are approved, he said.

He said about 20-25 children are still abandoned every month.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 July 2006

[Krungthepian]

There are often Christian groups that are caring for these kids, usually with approval of local authorities. What is not said in The Nation report is the number of these kids that have HIV/Aids. Because, as you prob'ly know, there has been great fears among Thais about that disease "spreading". Those fears are lessening, but still prevalent and powerful in more rural parts.

Western Christian groups appear to be filling the need - taking some of the pressure off state orphanages, which may have been overloaded at some occasions over the past 10-20 years (cos of parents of many kids dying of Aids and relatives just abandoning children who they feared had Aids or would be too much trouble for them to take care of).

In Chiang Mai, the Agape Home, set up by Canadian missionary Avis Rideout, looks after about 60 kids (could be even more now as they shifted into a huge new building a couple of years ago).

In Nong Khai, US Redemptorist priest Father Mike Shea oversees the care of dozens of kids in several homes.

There is also a Christian group from Oz (Mercy International) that takes care of abandoned kids or kids with HIV in Phrae, Phetchabun, and Khon Kaen.

In Mae Sai, a former Bangkok man (Thai) cares for street kids - mainly Burmese.

There are also western NGOs (non-govt groups) helping to care for kids in Mae Sai and other towns bordering Burma - Mae Sot and Ranong in the South. World Vision is one of these.

In the Klong Toey slum in Bangkok, Father Joe Maier has set up the Mercy Centre, which looks after maybe 200 kids.

In Pattaya, Father Ray Brennan (died couple of years back) set up not only an orphanage but a formidable array of other needed services - schools for deaf, blind and handicapped. They cater for about 800 kids from toddlers to young adults. It has people also trying to help street kids, as does Father Joe's operation in Klong Toey.

In Saraburi, a German group is looking after a few dozen kids - HIV affected - near the famous Aids temple, Wat Phrabaht Nampho (where many Aids victims have been dumped over the years).

One of the most interesting things about it all is that, the abandoned children with HIV are nolonger dying at the rapid rate they used to because most are now getting anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), cos the govt is helping to provide them, following a lot of pressure from Aids groups and very good people such as former Senator Jon Ungprakorn.

That is the bulk of the ones - orphanages I know about - but if people know of others I'd be fascinated to hear about them.

The farang and Thais staffing and running these places often do wonderful work; inspirational in fact. You have to take your hat off to them.

[astral]

Mr. Wanlop said 162 families from 15 countries and their adopted Thai children will take part in the activities this year.

Mr. Wanlop said the ministry has so far handed 79,570 children to adoptive families, 71,031 of them to Thai parents and 8,539 to foreigners. These families have to take care of the children for at least six months before their applications for adoption are approved, he said.

I understood that it was next to impossible for a foreigner to adopt a Thai child.

When I enquired about adopting my Thai step sons, I was told I would have to go to the UK to do it.