‘Phantom birth’ scam spooks Thailand as hundreds of babies get fake citizenship

Authorities in Thailand are unspooling a “phantom birth’’ racket involving possibly hundreds of babies – mainly Chinese – falsely registered as Thais by corrupt officials so that their parents can gain land and company ownership rights.Scores of birth certificates have come under scrutiny, with several officials arrested for suspected bribery in a scam that first came to light in northern Chiang Mai, but has now clustered around a Bangkok suburb and northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province.Babies born to Chinese parents have been registered at addresses that no longer exist or to households without children. Local men have also been paid – or unwittingly used – to be named as fathers on birth certificates so that the babies automatically become Thai citizens.