THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Court accepts libel case over surrogacy

Court accepts libel case over surrogacy

THE CRIMINAL Court yesterday accepted a libel case against a surrogate mother and her legal adviser over their comments on a gay couple engaged in a bitter custody dispute with the Thai woman.

Gordon Alan Lake III, an American, and his partner, Spanish national Manuel Santos, have sued Patidta Kusolsang and Weeratai Maneenuchnet for allegedly suggesting during TV interviews last year that the couple engaged in human trafficking. Patidta carried the child for the couple under a surrogacy contract, but refused to hand her over. 
“The comments may damage the reputation of the plaintiffs and subject them to hatred,” the court announced yesterday. 
However, the court refused to take action over the allegation that the defendants committed computer crimes after their comments were went viral online.
“At this point, it remains unclear whether the defendants have posted the comments online themselves,” the court said. 
Santos, speaking via an interpreter, said he would consult his lawyer as to whether he should pursue charges related to computer crimes against Patidta.
Santos and Lake spent more than Bt1 million on surrogacy services.
However, after Patidta delivered the baby, named Carmen, she refused to sign the papers needed for the gay couple to take the child out of Thailand. 
Lake is the biological father of Carmen, who was born in January last year, while the egg came from an anonymous donor.
Since her birth, Carmen has been living with Lake, who has stayed put in Thailand as he has waged legal battle to win custody of his daughter. 
 
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