A Thai surrogate mother left with a Down syndrome baby who was abandoned by his Australian biological parents said yesterday she would be happy to have the baby’s healthy twin returned, especially because of concern over reports the father is a convicted sex offender.
Pattaramon Chanbua, a 21-year-old food vendor who has two young children of her own, has been bringing up baby boy Gammy as her own since he was born in December last year.
She said the father rejected Gammy, while taking his healthy twin sister home to Western Australia.
Photo: AFP
Australia’s television station Nine Network reported yesterday that the father is a convicted pedophile.
A police officer said on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to speak to the media, that the father is a convicted sex offender.
The case has caused intense public interest in Thailand and Australia, and Pattaramon made her views known at a press conference in her hometown.
While she had previously said she was happy to have the twin girl stay with the Australian parents, the reports about the father’s past have raised doubts in her mind.
“Personally, when I heard the news I was shocked, but I can’t say anything much right now,” she said, adding that she would “leave it to the law” to see if she can get the girl back.
The process appeared to have been carried out legally under contract in Thailand and Western Australia, though other states in Australia do not allow it.
Pattaramon also expressed sentimental attachment to the child, saying: “I want her back because she is my baby. She was in my womb.”
However, she said she was inclined to leave the resolution of the issue up to “fate” and what was best for the baby girl.
“If she is happy, then I, as a mother, am also happy. I don’t want to bring her back to suffer or anything. A mother would never want her child in trouble, but if she really cannot go on living there, then I’m very happy to have her back in my arms,” she said.
She said she would never hand over to the Australian couple seven-month-old Gammy, who was born with a congenital heart condition as well as Down syndrome: “Never. Not in any way.”
The case had already caused a stir because of the idea that the Australian couple had abdicated their responsibility by not taking home both children. They have not come out publicly to speak about the case, though the Australian broadcaster ABC reported that Gammy’s biological father has denied intentionally abandoning his son in Thailand, saying he did not know that his daughter had a twin.
Pattaramon has said she did not receive the full payment she was promised for serving as a surrogate mother.
An online campaign by the Australian charity organization Hands Across the Water to help Gammy has raised more than US$215,000 since July 22.
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