What are the legal requirements for surrogacy in Thailand?

Legal requirements for surrogacy in Thailand under the ART Act B.E. 2558 (2015): **Intended parents must:** 1. Be a legally married couple (marriage certificate required) 2. Have at least one spouse who is a Thai national 3. Have been married for at least 3 years 4. Have a medical reason why the intended mother cannot carry a pregnancy 5. Use their own genetic material (at least one parent must be genetically related to the child) **Surrogate requirements:** - Must be a Thai woman - Must have previously given birth to a healthy child - If married, must have her spouse's written consent - Ideally a blood relative of either intended parent (though exceptions exist) - Must give free and informed consent - Must be medically screened and approved **Medical facility requirements:** - Must be accredited by the Medical Council of Thailand for ART procedures - Must be a licensed hospital or clinic (not a private doctor's office) - Must have qualified reproductive medicine specialists **Approval process:** 1. Submit application to the Medical Council's Sub-Committee on ART 2. Provide all required documentation (marriage certificate, medical records, surrogate consent) 3. Obtain approval before any medical procedures begin 4. The process takes approximately 2-4 months for approval **Post-birth requirements:** - Court petition to establish legal parentage - Birth registration with intended parents listed - The surrogate has no parental rights once the court order is issued **Prohibited:** - Any commercial compensation to the surrogate (beyond reasonable expenses) - Sex selection of embryos (except for medical reasons) - Use of surrogacy by non-eligible persons **Legal basis:** ART Act B.E. 2558 (2015); Medical Council Regulations on ART; Civil and Commercial Code (parentage provisions)