BANGKOK, Oct 3 Bangkok’s Pathumwan district court on Friday ordered the medical doctor accused of involvement in surrogacy services provided for a intending Japanese father to report next Thursday.
A special working committee, meanwhile, will probe whether the police investigation report contains sufficient grounds on which to indict him, a special attorney at the court.
Charoendej Salyapongse, Office of the Attorney General’s Executive Director, said October 9 is the last date for the Pathumwan district court to consider whether to formally indict Dr Pisit Tantiwattanakul, owner of the All IVF Clinic in Bangkok’s Ploenchit neighborhood.
Lumpini Police Station has charged that Dr Pisit’s clinic was allegedly involved in performing commercial surrogacy for Japanese man identified as Mitsutoki Shigeta.
Police have pressed charges against the doctor including violation of the regulations of the Medical Council of Thailand which ban commercial surrogacy and opening a medical facility without proper documentation.
But Dr Pisit, accompanied by his lawyer, again on Friday denied police charges and said he would report to the prosecutors next week as requested.
Mr Charoendej said if the prosecutors are still unable to indict the doctor on Thursday, the case will have to be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for consideration.
The news broke in early August and, according to police, the Japanese businessman has reportedly fathered at least 15 surrogate babies.
