In Thailand, child custody cases are complex and involve cultural nuances. They require legal professionals who can navigate these matters with integrity, compassion and a dedication to ensuring strong connections between parents and children.

During divorce proceedings, parents may create a custody agreement detailing visitation rights and custody arrangements. If a father of a child born out of wedlock wishes to exercise parental powers, he must complete the process of legitimation.

Parental Responsibility

Child custody disputes in Thailand are often decided by a judge based on what they think is best for the child. They will look at things like the parents’ relationship, the children’s needs, and the ability to meet those needs. They will also look at social worker reports.

Whether you are a parent going through a divorce in Thailand or considering getting married, it is important to understand the legal process and how Thai courts will handle your case. Taking legal advice from a specialist, such as Siam Center Law Group will help you ensure the best outcome for you and your family. If you are a father who has been denied his rights, the law does offer ways to gain them through the process of legitimation.

Child Support

Child custody disputes in Thailand can arise from a variety of circumstances. Most commonly, they occur when a married couple divorces and is unable to agree on custody arrangements. However, it can also happen to unmarried couples whose relationship resulted in children being born.

Regardless of the marital status of a parent, a court is required to consider what is in the best interests of the child when determining custody decisions. This includes examining the child’s relationships with siblings and extended family members as well as any impact that any proposed arrangement may have on those relationships.

In Thailand, unlike some Western countries, the mother and father do not receive equal rights or obligations in regards to their child. A father can only gain custody rights after he has established paternity of the child through a process known as legitimation.

Enforcing Custody Orders

In Thailand as in most jurisdictions worldwide a Court’s primary concern when making decisions about children is the best interests of the child. This is true regardless of whether parents agree on custody or not. If a father of a child born out of wedlock wishes to exercise custody rights the father must file for legitimation in order to do so. The father will then be eligible for joint or sole custody.

A parent who feels that their custody rights have been violated can file a complaint with the police or the court. The court will then initiate enforcement proceedings to address the violation. This may involve issuing summons to the violating party, conducting hearings and imposing sanctions (including fines and/or imprisonment) depending on the severity of the violation.

Modifying Custody Orders

In Thailand, child custody decisions are often based on what the judge believes to be in the best interests of the children. This may include factors such as a parent’s health, their relationship with the child and how they interact within the family, and whether there is drug or alcohol abuse in the home.

In mutual consent divorces, parents can agree on joint or sole custody. They can also agree on visitation rights. However, in cases of contested divorces, the courts will determine these arrangements.

Fathers wishing to acquire custody of their child in Thailand must go through the process of legitimation first. This is a separate legal proceeding from the divorce, and the mother and the child must give their consent. Once the father obtains legal paternity, he can then file for custody rights.

Child Abduction

Child custody matters require careful consideration of legal principles, cultural nuances and the best interests of the child. The legal team at Siam Center Law Group can provide insights and guidance in such sensitive matters, ensuring compliance with court orders and keeping the child’s welfare as top priority.

Before 2013, even though Thailand is a signatory to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, there was no domestic framework to deal with cases of child abduction by custodial parents. The new Thailand Child Abduction Act provides a clearer pathway for those who may have their rights breached to request assistance directly with the Central Authority of Thailand.

The father’s rights to a child in Thailand are usually only established through a process called “paternity establishment.” If the father is not married then he has no parental powers and full custodial power will remain with the mother.