The Child Adoption Centre in Thailand provides the following Guidelines for Post Adoption Service, for those interested in searching for birth relatives.

Birth Relative Contact

"Who Am I? How am I different from my parents?" Many adopted children and adults desire or even need information about their birth family or to reconnect with birth relatives. This desire in no way reflects upon adoptive family relationships or the quality of parenting that adopted children received. Teenagers who were adopted at any age may experience identity confusion as they confront the primary questions of adolescence.

What we do? 

Root search - Provide assistance for the adoptee and adoptive families, Support and enhance knowledge of the adoptive families, Preservation of documents, Revocation of Adoption and after support

Purpose of Root Search - The right of the child to obtain information about his or her origins derives from the right to know his or her biological parents. [Article 7(1) of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.] When a family search is requested by a domestic adoptee or an overseas adoptee or adoptive parents or by birth family - The Child Adoption Centre will perform fair and impartial services, ensure transparent adoption records, while protecting the mutual trusts and the rights of the adoption triad.

Who has the right to request a search?

A. Adoptee

1. Between the age of 10 and 18 years: Request with adoptive parents' agreement

2. 18 years and over: Direct request.

3. However, age restriction will not be taken into consideration if an adoptee is under a serious physical or mental condition and there is a diagnosis from a doctor, psychologist or social worker on behalf of the adoptee to improve the adoptee's health condition. In this case a doctor's medical report, psychologist or social worker's note is required.

B. Adoptive Parents

1. For the adoptees under 10 years, the search for birth family may be requested only when in need of a serious physical or mental treatment. A doctor's report is required.

C. Birth Family

Biological parents who gave consent to adoption are able to start searching for an adoptee with special reasons, such as the biological parents in a serious health condition, or biological parents wish to bequeath to an adoptee.

Note: If the birth parents have passed away, the adoptee's immediate famly, siblings and relatives in this order may apply to be in contact with the adoptee. A written proof of evidence of the relationship to the adoptee should be submitted.

 Search Request Process Case A and B

1. Adoptees or adoptive parents who live overseas may request a birth family search from the Central Authority of the adoptive country or their cooperating agencies, or request through the Child Adoption Centre of Thailand or the adoption agencies in Thailand.

2. Adoptees or adoptive parents who live in Thailand may request a birth family search only from the Child Adoption Centre.

Required Documents Case A & B

Copy of adoptee's Thai passport

Copy of adoptee's Thai birth certificate

Copy of adoptee's Housing Registration (provided when adoptive parents completed the Registration of Adoption, at Wellington Embassy)

Copy of "Child's Background to be adopted" 

Photo of the adoptee (taken within the last 6 months)

Other relative documents and pictures from the original adoption that might help with the birth search.

Reconnection

When an adoption triad (adoptee, adoptive family or birth family) requests contact or connection, the Child Adoption Center and the adoption agencies should provide consultation and information including the cultural information of the respective country.

The location for the initial reconnection shall be provided by the Child Adoption Center / relevant adoption agency and a post-adoption services worker should be present.

If an adoption triad (adoptee, adoptive family or birth family) wishes to maintain contact or continue reconnection, it shall be done through the Child Adoption Center or adoption agency.

CONTACT

Post Adoption Service Group, Child Adoption Center, 255 Rajvithi Home for Girls, Rajvithi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

email: followupadoption@gmail.com

Tel +662 306 8621 (note - this contact is not to be used for any matters about a current adoption application. All current adoption matters must be dealt with via the adoption agency; any direct contact is forbidden)