Police uncovered one of Thailand’s biggest fake citizenship scandals after tracing about 500 fraudulent birth registrations to a Chinese network, corrupt officials and hospital staff, while the arrest of a former China Railway No. 10 director linked the case to the Office of the Auditor General building collapse in March 2025.
One of Thailand’s biggest citizenship fraud investigations has widened dramatically after police uncovered evidence that about 500 foreign children obtained Thai nationality through fraudulent birth registrations, while exposing an unexpected link to the collapse of the Office of the Auditor General headquarters through the arrest of a former China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) director. The operation has already produced 19 arrests, 40 arrest warrants and evidence that investigators say points to a sophisticated network selling Thai citizenship through fake fathers, false paternity acknowledgements and fabricated official records.
As police in Bangkok prepared to send the first suspects to court, one of Thailand’s largest citizenship fraud investigations widened sharply. Investigators now believe about 500 foreign children obtained Thai citizenship through fraudulent birth registrations, more than triple earlier estimates.
At the same time, the operation uncovered an unexpected connection to another of the country’s biggest criminal investigations after one of the arrested men was identified as former China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. director, Prachuap Sirikhet.
The discovery links the fake citizenship investigation with the continuing fallout from the collapse of the new Office of the Auditor General (OAG) headquarters during the March 28, 2025, Myanmar earthquake.
Investigation into 500 fake citizenships uncovers OAG collapse link through former China Railway director
China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) formed the Chinese side of the joint venture constructing the government building alongside Italian-Thai Development. Meanwhile, the company also worked with its parent company, China Railway Group (CREC), on major infrastructure projects and remains closely associated with state construction contracts.
For investigators, the arrest represents more than another suspect entering police custody. It connects a figure previously identified during the Department of Special Investigation’s nominee shareholder inquiry with an expanding network that police say used fraudulent paternity acknowledgements, false birth registrations and corrupt officials to obtain Thai nationality for hundreds of foreign children.
Consequently, what first appeared to be isolated document fraud has evolved into a much broader investigation involving public officials, hospital employees, Chinese nationals and Thai intermediaries.
The investigation, codenamed “Unveiling the Dragon’s Scales,” is being led by Royal Thai Police Deputy Commissioner Pol Gen Samran Nualma and Royal Thai Police Headquarters Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Nopasil Phoolsawat.
In parallel, officers from the Department of Provincial Administration, the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Bangkok Metropolitan Police have joined the operation. Together, they secured 40 arrest warrants and 42 search warrants targeting those believed to have participated in the network.
Police trace expanding fake citizenship network to Chen Yinlai probe and ฿90,000 registration packages
Police say one district registrar and one hospital employee sold complete registration packages costing more than ฿90,000. According to investigators, those packages enabled foreign children to receive Thai citizenship through fraudulent official records. Detectives believe the operation relied upon cooperation between surrogate fathers, hospital staff, district officials and facilitators who guided applicants through each stage of the process.
Notably, the latest arrests stem from a financial investigation that began more than two years ago. Detectives expanded their inquiries after arresting Chinese national Chen Yinlai, whom police accuse of using Thailand as a base to launder more than ฿70 billion through Thai bank accounts during 2024.
As investigators traced financial relationships and family registrations, they uncovered repeated patterns involving Chinese mothers, Thai surrogate fathers and birth registrations that appeared inconsistent with biological parentage.
By Friday morning, Bang Yi Ruea Police Station had become the focal point of the investigation. Officers escorted suspects from holding cells one after another for fingerprinting before requesting court approval to hold them in custody. The atmosphere remained tense throughout the morning as detectives completed administrative procedures while reporters waited outside the processing area.
Suspects remain silent as police process arrests and prepare court remand in widening citizenship fraud case
Among those brought out for fingerprinting was Ms Siriporn, a district registrar accused of participating in fraudulent birth registrations. She was followed by Ms Sunee, a medical records officer from a private hospital, who investigators believe handled documentation connected to the scheme. Shortly afterwards, officers escorted Mr Prachuap Sirikhet through the station under close police supervision.
Reporters repeatedly attempted to question each suspect as officers moved them between detention cells and processing rooms. However, none agreed to comment. Ms Siriporn kept her head down and ignored repeated requests to explain her role before officers returned her to the holding cells.
Likewise, Mr Prachuap declined every opportunity to respond as journalists pressed him about his involvement in the network, his relationship with Chinese nationals and the separate investigation into the collapsed OAG headquarters.
Questions also focused on why he signed paternity acknowledgements, how many children he had recognised and whether he had been advised by his lawyer to remain silent. Even so, Mr Prachuap refused to answer. Ms Sunee adopted the same approach, declining every question before being escorted back into police custody.
Police expand inquiry to 500 children as DNA evidence and five hospitals become central to investigation
Elsewhere inside the station, investigators confirmed that 19 suspects had already been arrested during the operation. Those detained include ten Thai men identified as surrogate fathers, seven Chinese women, the district registrar and the hospital records officer. However, police stressed that the operation remains active and officers continue searching for the remaining suspects named in outstanding court warrants.
Significantly, investigators have sharply revised the estimated scale of the fraud. Earlier inquiries centred on about 164 children. Further interviews, intelligence gathering and document analysis have since pushed that figure dramatically higher.
Police now estimate that about 500 foreign children obtained Thai citizenship through fraudulent birth registrations. At the same time, detectives believe employees from five private hospitals participated in different stages of the operation.
Authorities have not publicly identified those hospitals. Instead, investigators continue examining thousands of official records while forensic specialists review supporting evidence. DNA testing has become a central part of the inquiry as detectives seek to establish biological relationships and determine whether acknowledgements of paternity were knowingly falsified. The scientific evidence is also expected to support future criminal proceedings.
Daughter recounts marriage, Chinese links and payment before father’s arrest in widening citizenship case
Separately, investigators have begun reconstructing the family histories linked to many of the registrations. Those inquiries have already produced detailed interviews with relatives of several suspects. One visitor attracted particular attention on Friday after arriving at Bang Yi Ruea Police Station to seek information about her father’s case.
The woman identified herself as the daughter of the suspect, Mr. Ongart. She said her father remarried about 10 years ago while working in Bangkok’s Sampeng district.
According to her account, his new Thai wife later introduced him to a Chinese woman identified as Ms Li Yan before asking him to sign marriage documents. She said she never understood the purpose because she was still young at the time.
Later, she questioned her father about the paperwork. He replied that his wife simply asked him to sign documents involving the Chinese woman and that he never understood everything presented to him. According to his daughter, he did not know whether any paperwork included an acknowledgement of paternity. She also said he received ฿2,000 after signing the documents.
When reporters asked whether Ms Li Yan was pregnant at the time, the daughter replied that she was not. Instead, she became pregnant several years later. The marriage eventually ended in divorce, although the daughter said she never discovered the reason. Following the police operation, she questioned her father’s former wife, who denied knowing anything about the investigation.
Suspect’s daughter says police directed her to court after she sought bail for her arrested father
The daughter travelled to Bang Yi Ruea Police Station, hoping to arrange bail for her father. Instead, officers advised her that any application would have to be made before the court. She later described the conversation with police.
“Until the incident happened, and when I asked his Thai wife at the time, she denied knowing anything. I didn’t know what to do, so today I came to Bang Yi Ruea Police Station to inquire about bail for my father, but the police told me to apply for bail at the court,” she said.
Later that morning, officers escorted Mr Ongart from the holding cells for fingerprinting. Unlike several other suspects, he agreed to answer questions from waiting reporters before officers completed the processing procedure.
Mr Ongart said he agreed to marry the Chinese woman because she was a friend of his girlfriend. According to his account, she wanted to live in Thailand and asked for his help. He insisted he trusted her and agreed without expecting any financial reward.
Mr Ongart admits signing paternity papers but denies joining a network or receiving payment
However, his explanation did not end there. Mr Ongart admitted signing paternity acknowledgements for two children born to Ms Li Yan and a Chinese man. He said the requests came later, after the marriage had already ended in divorce.
According to Mr Ongart, relatives of the Chinese woman approached him after the children were born. They asked him to acknowledge paternity because no one else was available to sign the official documents. He said the first child is now about nine years old and that his girlfriend at the time knew the Chinese woman personally.
When asked whether he realised his actions could be illegal, Mr Ongart acknowledged that he had been afraid. He also said he felt pressured into cooperating. Nevertheless, he maintained that he never regarded himself as part of a wider criminal network.
“I want to apologise to the public for what happened,” he said.
Mr Ongart also spoke about the impact on his family. Although he had not spoken to his former stepdaughter that morning, he believed she already understood the situation. He said he had never hidden his relationship with the Chinese woman and expected his family to be upset by the investigation.
At the same time, he firmly denied knowing the wider group of Chinese nationals identified by police. He said he never lived with Ms Li Yan and had no personal relationship with the broader network now under investigation.
Suspect says third party arranged paternity papers as police question Prachuap on citizenship fraud
According to his account, a third party coordinated both acknowledgements of paternity. He recalled signing the documents at a hospital, but could not remember which staff member handled the paperwork. Both children were born there, although he was unable to identify those involved in processing the registrations.
Mr Ongart also rejected suggestions that he was paid to acknowledge paternity. Instead, he said he received only ฿2,000 on each occasion to compensate for lost income because he could not drive his taxi. He said the payments also covered vehicle rental costs. The two acknowledgements were signed approximately two to three years apart.
Meanwhile, officers escorted Mr Prachuap Sirikhet from the detention area for fingerprinting. Once again, reporters attempted to question him about the investigation.
They asked whether he wished to clarify his role, whether he knew the Chinese nationals involved and why he agreed to acknowledge paternity. Further questions centred on how many children he had recognised and whether he remained concerned about the earlier OAG building investigation.
In addition, journalists asked whether his lawyer had advised him to remain silent. Mr Prachuap ignored every question. He made no statement before officers returned him to custody. Ms Sunee adopted the same approach and also declined to comment.
Police prepare remand applications as another suspect admits signing paternity papers for relatives
Police later confirmed the initial charges facing those identified as surrogate fathers. Investigators accuse them of aiding and abetting public officials in improperly performing or neglecting their duties. All are expected to appear before the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct in Taling Chan to face applications for continued detention while the investigation proceeds.
Separately, another suspect, Mr Viroj, briefly answered questions while officers escorted him for fingerprinting. He refused to discuss the wider investigation but admitted signing acknowledgements of paternity. According to his account, he knew the Chinese woman involved because they were relatives and agreed to help for that reason alone.
Mr Viroj denied receiving payment. He also declined to say whether he realised the documents formally recognised him as the children’s father. Instead, he said the events took place many years ago and that he could no longer remember important details.
He acknowledged signing the documents but could not recall how many children were involved. He also maintained that he knew nothing about the investigation until the police arrested him.
Police link more surrogate fathers to Chinese families as DNA evidence delays further arrest warrants
When reporters asked why his Chinese relatives wanted the children formally recognised by a Thai father, Mr Viroj offered a simple explanation. He said they wanted to raise the children in Thailand. Pressed further about whether Thai citizenship would also allow them to study in the country, he agreed. He added that the children were about six or seven years old and that the paperwork had been completed somewhere in Bangkok, although he could not remember the district office.
Mr Viroj admitted feeling stressed by the investigation. Nevertheless, he said he intended to apply for bail before contesting the charges in court.
Subsequent inquiries produced further evidence concerning his role. Investigators say Mr Viroj acknowledged paternity for four children from two Chinese families. Police believe members of one family have already returned to China, while the second family remains in Thailand.
On another front, investigators identified another suspected surrogate father, Mr Prinya. Police say evidence links him to a child whose mother, Ms Pao Jiao, is connected to Chen Yinlai, the Chinese national previously accused of laundering more than ฿70 billion through Thailand.
However, investigators have not yet secured arrest warrants in that branch of the case. Officers are awaiting DNA results before seeking warrants against Mr Prinya, Ms Pao Jiao and others connected to those registrations. Police say the scientific evidence is needed to establish biological relationships before further charges can proceed.
Police say 500 fraudulent citizenship cases remain under review as Prachuap link draws fresh scrutiny
As the investigation widened, officers also revised their assessment of the network’s overall reach. Early reports suggested the number of fraudulent registrations could approach 1,000. However, investigators now believe the evidence supports an estimate of about 500 foreign children whose births were falsely registered to obtain Thai citizenship.
Even so, detectives caution that the inquiry remains active. Thousands of official documents continue to be reviewed, while investigators examine hospital records, district registrations and family files gathered during the coordinated searches.
Authorities also confirmed that employees from five private hospitals have been linked to the operation. Investigators believe hospital documentation formed a crucial part of the process that allowed fraudulent birth registrations to proceed. Police have not disclosed the identities of those hospitals while inquiries continue.
Beyond those already in custody, 26 suspects named in court warrants remain outstanding. Investigators say everyone is connected to the surrogate father scheme and remains under investigation. Police continue searching for them as forensic examinations and financial inquiries progress.
The investigation has also drawn renewed attention to Prachuap Sirikhet due to his prior corporate role. Before his latest arrest, he had already come under scrutiny during the Department of Special Investigation’s inquiry into China Railway No. 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
DSI nominee inquiry into China Railway returns as Prachuap faces separate citizenship fraud investigation
That investigation followed the catastrophic collapse of the new Office of the Auditor General headquarters during the March 28, 2025, earthquake.
DSI investigators previously identified Mr Prachuap as one of three Thai shareholders and directors of the company. He held a 10.2 per cent shareholding. Investigators said the Thai shareholders acted as nominees for the Chinese state-owned parent company in breach of the Foreign Business Act.
Televised blitz on corruption linked to fraudulent citizenship secured through birth by Chinese actors
DSI confirms arrested Chinese man is state employee of China. Chuanling Zhang later released on bail
On April 19, 2025, the Criminal Court approved arrest warrants for Mr Prachuap, Manas Sri-anan and Sophon Meechai. Chinese director Zhang Chuanling was arrested at a Bangkok hotel the same day. At that stage, DSI investigators said the three Thai shareholders were being sought after they could not immediately be located.
The latest police operation has now brought Mr Prachuap back into custody in an entirely separate investigation. Although the two cases concern different offences, his appearance among those arrested has become one of the most striking developments to emerge from the expanding fake citizenship investigation.
For investigators, the operation remains far from over. Officers continue pursuing suspects, analysing DNA evidence, examining hospital and district records and tracing financial links connected to the wider network. With about 500 fraudulent citizenship registrations now under scrutiny and dozens of suspects still being sought, police believe the full scale of the operation has yet to emerge.
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Further reading:
Bitter end of the dream for Chinese woman who came to Thailand to start a new life over 30 years ago
Chinese invasion claim by Chuwit saying there are now 3 million new arrivals in tourist hotspots
Charges brought against Chinese mafia kingpin as Chuwit warns witnesses are put under pressure
DSI chief removed from his post as scandal over a raid on a former diplomatic residence grows
Chinese gangs approaching expectant Thai fathers in private hospitals seeking identity transfers
Top Immigration Bureau officers investigated by high-level panel over Chinese corruption claims
Chinese-controlled Thai language schools used by criminal network to obtain visas for associates
