Australia authorities track down Thai surrogate case father

[webfact]

Australia authorities track down Thai surrogate case father

PERTH, August 7, 2014 (AFP) - Australian authorities said Thursday they had finally contacted a man exposed as a convicted paedophile at the centre of a Thai surrogate baby scandal, as his son defended him as a changed man.

Child protection officials had been trying to touch base with the man and his wife since Tuesday but visits to their home in Bunbury, south of Perth, went unanswered.

The man, 56, sparked global controversy for apparently abandoning his Down's syndrome baby boy, Gammy, in Thailand and taking only his healthy twin sister back home, although he and his wife dispute the circumstances.

It subsequently emerged that he was convicted in the 1990s on 22 child sex abuse charges involving girls as young as seven, state broadcaster ABC reported.

An investigation was launched this week into the safety and welfare of the twin sister but authorities were unable to find the family.

But Western Australia Child Protection Minister Helen Morton said her department had now made phone contact with the biological parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

"This family needs the opportunity to have the considerations around the safety and well-being of that child undertaken in a really private, comfortable environment for them," she told Fairfax Radio.

Morton gave no details about the nature of the discussion or the welfare of the baby girl and said no further comment would be made while an investigation was underway.

"We think that the family deserves the opportunity for privacy and confidentiality," she said.

The Thai surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, has said she was shocked to hear of the child sex convictions and was willing to take back the twin sister -- aged seven months -- if the allegations were true.

The biological father has three adult children and one of them said he was a changed man since spending time in jail for the sex convictions.

"I can tell you how good of a father my dad was towards us. He's amazing. He's brought the best out of all of us kids," the son, who did not want to be named, told Fairfax Media.

"He's just got a massive heart. He's made mistakes, we've accepted it... He's made up for them.

"For everything to be brought back up is pretty heartbreaking to be honest."

Pattaramon, 21, has said she agreed to carry another Thai donor's egg fertilised by the Australian man in exchange for around US$14,900.

An agency, which she refuses to name for legal reasons, acted as the go-between.

She claims the agency told her the parents wanted her to have an abortion -- which is illegal in Thailand -- once medical tests revealed the boy had Down's syndrome, but she refused.

The Australian couple have disputed her version, claiming they were told Gammy had a congenital heart condition but not Down's syndrome, and left him in Thailand because doctors said he would not survive more than a day or so.

[afp]2014-08-07[/afp]

[Basil B]

Most important is the child should be treated as a "Child at Risk" and authorities should have unrestricted access to and be able to monitor this child while the farther is around, and if there is any doubt as to the child's safety then the child should be removed from them.

[Tatsujin]

". . . convicted in the 1990s on 22 child sex abuse charges involving girls as young as seven . . ."

 

Sorry, but kiddie fiddlers should NEVER be allowed to adopt or have children once convicted, and the surrogate child needs to be removed from them post haste.

[slipperylobster]

This whole thing is fetid.

[JeremyBowskill]

I would like to make him a changed man, from alive to dead seems about right for interfering with kids.  Failing that 2 house bricks and a blunt knife would be the second option I would like. 

[gemini81]

Most impotent is the child should be treated as a "Child at Risk" and authorities should have unrestricted access to and be able to monitor this child while the farther is around, and if there is any doubt as to the child's safety then the child should be removed from them.

Impotent?! Hardly impotent! 'imporant?!'

[jonclark]

Find this a rather odd case which rasies more questions than answers.

 

Legally does the Thai surrogate have any right to baby Gammy - Genetically and biologically Gammy is completely different - she was just the carrier, does that confer legal right to the child? Especially as the medical council of Thailand prohibits commercial surrogacy, and she has broken (knowingly?) that regulation. Did she sign away her legal right as part of the deal? 

 

And given that Thailand has no laws (just regulations) on surrogacy these questions are very difficult the answer.

 

Could the surrogate mother adopt Gammy? If so would she meet the criteria for official adoption - Fairly sure the biological parents wouldn't agree to an adoption either.Would they have to?

 

Lots of focus has been on the biological father - but what about the biological mother. It would appear that she was the one unable to carry the babies(given that the father already has 3 grown up children). Surely she has a right to have her feelings and wishes considered in this case.

 

At some point someone is going to have to decide what option offers the best long term future for Gammy. Would Gammy best be served living in Thailand or Australia.

 

[Basil B]

 

Most impotent is the child should be treated as a "Child at Risk" and authorities should have unrestricted access to and be able to monitor this child while the farther is around, and if there is any doubt as to the child's safety then the child should be removed from them.

Impotent?! Hardly impotent! 'imporant?!'

 

Important, sorry but my spell checker has an IQ of zero... 

[reiltin]

Short time womb...jokes aside both the Thai & the agency acted illegally not a pinch of altruism here -purely for money.,As the whole process was illicit from day one.All are complicit and to blame.as always the innocent-both babies- will suffer most.

[Baerboxer]

22 Child sex charges and convictions - not exactly a one off then.

 

A changed man ...................... hmmmm. Does Australia have a sex offenders register and monitor those convicted after release? 

 

 

Chooka - what's the laws on this down under - Fed or State?

[pkspeaker]

"He's just got a massive heart. He's made mistakes, we've accepted it... He's made up for them."

 

Molesting a 7 year old girl (and a bunch of other underage girls) is a 'mistake'.. and he's 'made up for it'  oh sure 

[cup-O-coffee]

Too many issues here, but they should all be covered in contracts and time served, as well as allegations being followed up by legal charges and the necessary  judgments, warrants, etc. But none of that is mentioned or even exists as far as the vague and ambigous reporter suggests. The only people being mentioned are the alleged perpetrator and the people who have no jurisdiction or powers to do anything about it, and there's the rub.

 

Another poorly reported story to merely incite personal and opinionated rants about possibilities and unlikely probabilities.

[chotthee]

". . . convicted in the 1990s on 22 child sex abuse charges involving girls as young as seven . . ."

 

Sorry, but kiddie fiddlers should NEVER be allowed to adopt or have children once convicted, and the surrogate child needs to be removed from them post haste.

 

Wow. 22 conviction. And he is still walking.

I thought such get out of jail free card is only available for Thai elite. Aussie too?

[ozsamurai]

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22 Child sex charges and convictions - not exactly a one off then.

 

A changed man ...................... hmmmm. Does Australia have a sex offenders register and monitor those convicted after release? 

 

 

Chooka - what's the laws on this down under - Fed or State?

No we don't!  but there is a database maintained privately MAKO. 

http://www.mako.org.au/prelist.html

He incidentally is not listed there, I checked...

 

Oz

[Basil B]

Short time womb...jokes aside both the Thai & the agency acted illegally not a pinch of altruism here -purely for money.,As the whole process was illicit from day one.All are complicit and to blame.as always the innocent-both babies- will suffer most.

 

And maybe it was a greater power that decided that these dingoes should never have children...

[simple1]

22 Child sex charges and convictions - not exactly a one off then.

 

A changed man ...................... hmmmm. Does Australia have a sex offenders register and monitor those convicted after release? 

 

 

Chooka - what's the laws on this down under - Fed or State?

 

Some States do, some don't. There is a national child offender system, info at:

 

http://www.crimtrac.gov.au/our_services/ChildProtectionServices.html

[rainman333]

reading this article, it sounds like australia is ok with the child molesting father having the new baby girl?

[DrLom]

I wonder which party is altruistic in this case? All? Certainly not the adoptive father - his intent is for sure!

[DrLom]

 

Short time womb...jokes aside both the Thai & the agency acted illegally not a pinch of altruism here -purely for money.,As the whole process was illicit from day one.All are complicit and to blame.as always the innocent-both babies- will suffer most.

 

And maybe it was a greater power that decided that these dingoes should never have children...

 

Dingoes eat children... but, let's keep it real, these are people (not so sure about how much humanity) and not dogs.... nobody knows the full truth of the matter yet.

[arjunadawn]

In some sad manner, perhaps this whole debacle and the light it has cast will prevent more children from suffering from this predator. Ive heard child predators argue they are wired differently, and therefore cant help themselves. Indeed, society seems to recognize something akin to this and therefore even after they have paid their debt in prison, society recognized that they must still be stigmatized and in a registry. Why? Because of the reality that THEY DO NOT CHANGE! My saddest suspicion is he was going to groom this child for horrific things.

[cardinalblue]

Does he have grandchildren and what is his relationship with them? I think his three grown kids should have input into thi case as well as org he associates with, employers volunteer work church etc...he could have a clean record since he got released...

If one doesn't think the current system works then one can change it via petitions and courts rather than bitch and rant in a post and continue with their life w/o getting involved in the process as soon as the computer is off....

Another "Watch what they do not what they say" motto aptly applies....

CB

[belg]

u don't cure a pedo ... excepts he dies...

 

now getting his hands on a new born baby girl ...

 

 

[Bender]

 

The Thai surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, has said she was shocked to hear of the child sex convictions and was willing to take back the twin sister -- aged seven months -- if the allegations were true.

.....

Pattaramon, 21, has said she agreed to carry another Thai donor's egg fertilised by the Australian man in exchange for around US$14,900.

 

of course she want back the baby, like this she will sell her again to another couple and make more money

 

 

[Basil B]

 

 

The Thai surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, has said she was shocked to hear of the child sex convictions and was willing to take back the twin sister -- aged seven months -- if the allegations were true.

.....

Pattaramon, 21, has said she agreed to carry another Thai donor's egg fertilised by the Australian man in exchange for around US$14,900.

 

of course she want back the baby, like this she will sell her again to another couple and make more money

 

 

 

How twisted can you get?

 

She has not sold the other sibling or even dumped it at a orphanage, she has cared for him up until now at great expense to herself.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Basil B

[Bender]

 

How twisted can you get?

 

She has not sold the other sibling or even dumped it at a orphanage, she has cared for him up until now at great expense to herself.

 

 

 

 

She has not sold the other sibling

 

but she sold the first one, right?

 

 

or even dumped it at a orphanage,

 

what do you know about her evil plan?

 

 

she has cared for him up until now at great expense to herself.

well she got half millions baht from the sale of the first baby...

 

 

 

amazing we still found people to apologize this!

She sold her once, nothing will stop her to sell her twice!

Edited August 7, 2014 by Bender

[seabass69]

 

 

Most impotent is the child should be treated as a "Child at Risk" and authorities should have unrestricted access to and be able to monitor this child while the farther is around, and if there is any doubt as to the child's safety then the child should be removed from them.

Impotent?! Hardly impotent! 'imporant?!'

 

Important, sorry but my spell checker has an IQ of zero... 

 

Not the one between your ears I hope

[MickGC]

reading this article, it sounds like australia is ok with the child molesting father having the new baby girl?

 

Is it too hard to do a bit of online research yourself?  Would only take five minutes and then you would know Australia has some of the toughest child abuse laws in the world.  http://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/pubs/factsheets/a145620/

[noddy77]

This guy could have Fathered 10 kids since the 90's naturally and without the Gammy saga we would be none the wiser.

 

Trial by media at its best.

 

I am sure there are dozens of convicted pedo's that have gone on to father children in every country. I am not saying that it's right but I am saying it's lawful.

 

If you get done for DUI should you never be allowed to drive again?

[3NUMBAS]

child abandonment must be a crime

[Basil B]

 

 

How twisted can you get?

 

She has not sold the other sibling or even dumped it at a orphanage, she has cared for him up until now at great expense to herself.

 

 

but she sold the first one, right?

 

 

or even dumped it at a orphanage,

 

what do you know about her evil plan?

 

 

she has cared for him up until now at great expense to herself.

well she got half millions baht from the sale of the first baby...

 

 

 

amazing we still found people to apologize this!

She sold her once, nothing will stop her to sell her twice!

 

 

(Sorry for altering your post but you had re-quoted me so many times I could not reply to your post in it's entirety) 

 

She did not sell the first baby, she was paid to to have it.

 

Though child birth is a labour of love, but the procedure must be unpleasant with first going into ones family history, then all sorts of tests, with count less medical experts prodding about in ones private parts, then the IVF, some prat from the agency (who can not be named or they will sue because this publicity is not good for business), telling you what you can and can not do for 9 months, then all the pain of child birth,all for half a million Baht which is pea nuts for an Aussie as I have been told, would some Aussie Shelia do that for that?

Edited August 7, 2014 by Basil B