Section 1598/19
Statutory text (Thai original)
แก้ไขเพิ่มเติมโดยพระราชบัญญัติแก้ไขเพิ่มเติมประมวลกฎหมายแพ่งและพาณิชย์ (ฉบับที่ ๑๐) พ.ศ. ๒๕๓๓ [254]
Verbatim from the Royal Gazette / Office of the Council of State
English translation
A person who is not less than twenty five years old may adopt another, provided he is at least fifteen years older than the adopted person.
This English translation is provided for reference only and has not yet been firm-verified — always rely on the Thai original.
Firm annotation
Section 1598/19 is part of Book 5 (Family) of the Thai Civil and Commercial Code. This entry is awaiting firm-authored commentary; the statutory text above is verbatim from the Office of the Council of State (OCS Krisdika) Thai source, with the English translation from the FAO/UN FAOLEX repository. Always rely on the Thai original for legal proceedings.
Why this matters in practice
For lawyers: confirm the adoptor's age and the 15-year age gap before advising on adoption eligibility; same-sex married couples are now entitled to adopt jointly, subject to the same age requirements as all other adoptors. For clients: if you are a same-sex married couple wishing to adopt, you both need to be at least 25 and at least 15 years older than the child.
Legislative history
Section 1598/19 was introduced when Book 5 was revised in B.E. 2519 and the adoption chapters were added. The Marriage Equality Act (No. 24, B.E. 2567), in force 22 Jan 2025, opened the right to adopt to same-sex married couples; both spouses of a same-sex marriage who meet the age requirements may adopt jointly.
Frequently asked questions
Can same-sex married couples in Thailand adopt a child?
Yes. Since the Marriage Equality Act came into force on 22 January 2025, same-sex married couples have the same right to adopt as opposite-sex married couples. Both spouses must be at least 25 years old and at least 15 years older than the child to be adopted under §1598/19. The adoption must be registered and may require court approval in certain cases.