Révisé par ThaiLawOnline, un cabinet d'avocats thaïlandais agréé exerçant en Thaïlande depuis 2006. Avocate thaïlandaise en charge du dossier : Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., licence du barreau thaïlandais 3149/2556.
Dernière mise à jour le 5 septembre 2026
Adoption (การรับบุตรบุญธรรม, rap but bun tham, the adopted child being a but bun tham) is the legal act by which a person takes another person’s child, or an adult, as their own child. Two texts govern it: Sections 1598/19 to 1598/37 of the Code civil et commercial, which set the conditions and effects, and the Child Adoption Act B.E. 2522 (1979), which controls the approval of adoptions of minors through the Department of Children and Youth. An adoption exists only once registered at the district office, and from that day the child is the adopter’s legitimate child.
Table des matières
Conditions set by the Civil and Commercial Code
Who may adopt whom. Under Section 1598/19 the adopter must be at least 25 years old and at least 15 years older than the adoptee. A person aged 15 or more must consent to their own adoption (Section 1598/20). A minor can be adopted only with the consent of the parents, or of the one who still holds parental power; where a parent unreasonably refuses and the refusal harms the child, the court may consent instead (Section 1598/21). A married adopter needs the spouse’s consent (Section 1598/25).
Effects. The adoption takes effect on registration (Section 1598/27). Under Section 1598/28 the adopted child has the status of a legitimate child of the adopter, and the birth parents lose parental power, but the child keeps rights in the birth family and remains an heir of both. Under Section 1627 an adopted child is a descendant of the adopter for héritage, while the adopter does not inherit from the child. Adoption can be dissolved by agreement or by the court under Sections 1598/31 onwards.
The process for foreigners and stepparents
Adoption of a minor by anyone, Thai or foreign, must be approved under the Child Adoption Act. A foreigner living abroad applies through the central authority or an accredited agency of the home country, because Thailand is bound by the 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. The home study and checks go to the Department of Children and Youth, which proposes a match; the Child Adoption Board approves; the child is placed on trial for at least six months; and the adoption is registered at the amphur. The route commonly takes 18 months to three years.
The case most foreigners meet is a foreign husband adopting his Thai wife’s child. That adoption still goes through the Department, but the applicant is resident in Thailand and the birth mother consents at interview. The absent birth father’s consent is needed unless he never legitimated the child, in which case he has no parental power to give up. Documents include passports, the certificat de mariage, the child’s birth certificate, a medical certificate, a police clearance and proof of income, with certified Thai translations. The child keeps nationalité thaïlandaise.
Adoption compared with legitimation and guardianship
Adoption creates a parent-child relationship where none existed. Legitimation under Section 1547 recognises an existing biological father and is registered without the Department. Guardianship under Section 1585 gives a court-appointed person authority over a minor without parents, but parentage is unchanged.
| Itinéraire | Base juridique | Who approves | Résultat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adoption | Sections 1598/19 to 1598/37; Child Adoption Act | Department of Children and Youth, then amphur | Child becomes legitimate child of adopter |
| Legitimation | Article 1547 | Amphur with consents, or court | Biological father becomes legal father |
| Tutelle | Sections 1585 to 1598/18 | Tribunal pour enfants et pour la famille | Guardian manages child; parentage unchanged |
Foire aux questions
Un étranger peut-il adopter un enfant en Thaïlande ?
Yes. A foreigner must be at least 25 and 15 years older than the child, and adoption of a minor must be approved by the Department of Children and Youth under the Child Adoption Act. Applicants living abroad go through their home country’s central authority or an accredited agency; applicants resident in Thailand, typically a step-parent, apply to the Department directly.
How long does adoption take in Thailand?
An intercountry adoption commonly takes 18 months to three years, including the home study, matching, Child Adoption Board approval, a trial placement of at least six months and registration at the district office. A step-parent adoption of a Thai spouse’s child is shorter but still passes through the Department’s interviews and approval.
Does an adopted child inherit from the adoptive parent in Thailand?
Yes. Under Sections 1598/28 and 1627 the adopted child has the status of a legitimate child and is a descendant of the adopter for intestate succession, while also keeping inheritance rights in the birth family. The adopter, however, is not a statutory heir of the adopted child.
Voir aussi : legitimation of a child, tuteur, pouvoirs parentaux, héritier légal, and the full guides to adoption en Thaïlande ET garde d'enfants en Thaïlande.
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