Police Set to Interrogate 'Divine Birth' Scam Network in Nakhon Ratchasima; State Officials Allegedly Issued Fake IDs for 27 Chinese Nationals

Police are preparing to interrogate the network behind the 'Divine Birth' certificate scam in Nakhon Ratchasima, which involved state officials issuing fraudulent identity documents to over 27 Chinese nationals who each paid bribes of tens of thousands of baht.

The complaint was filed by Dr. Kittipong Pongsuravet, Subdistrict Chief of Phi Kaeng Municipality in Muang Nakhon Ratchasima District, against local government registration officials after authorities discovered corruption in the municipality's civil registration system.

The scheme involved systematically forging birth certificates for foreign nationals and soliciting bribes of tens of thousands of baht per case. The investigation began after the Department of Interior coordinated with local authorities and found irregularities in birth certificate issuance to foreign nationals, predominantly Chinese.

At least 27 irregular cases have been identified so far, with state officials implicated in the fraudulent process. On April 25, 2026, Lieutenant Colonel Sirichai Sirichaipanya, commander of Muang Nakhon Ratchasima Police Station, announced that a complaint has been filed. The Subdistrict Chief has initiated proceedings against one municipal registration officer, though documentation for all 27 affected individuals and other critical evidence has not yet been submitted to investigators.

Investigators plan to summon all involved parties for questioning next week, including the complainant and relevant officials, to gather evidence before forwarding the case to agencies such as the Office of the Ombudsman (OOP) or the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for further legal proceedings.