Gammy, born to a Thai surrogate and abandoned by parents

The recent scandal of an Australian couple who abandoned a baby with Down Syndrome born to a surrogate mother in Thailand has caused the Thai government to crackdown on the industry, leaving several couples stranded in the country who are now unable to leave with their surrogate-born babies.

The Associated Press is reporting that several couples from the U.S. and Australia have been prevented from leaving Thailand with babies who were born to Thai women serving as surrogates.

Two same-sex couples from Australia were stopped at the Bangkok airport on Thursday by Thai officials as they attempted to leave the country with their newborn babies. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that one of the couples attempted to travel with the Thai surrogate with the hope of avoiding a challenge at the immigration desk.

It's also being reported that two U.S. couples were prevented from leaving the country with their surrogate-born newborns.

"Thailand's military junta, which seized power in May, has indicated it wants to ban commercial surrogacy in the Southeast Asian nation following recent publicity over allegations that an Australian couple had abandoned a baby boy born to a surrogate Thai mother after learning he had Down syndrome," the AP reports.

Although there is some discrepancy about how many couples have actually been prevented from leaving the country, Thai officials are saying that those who wish to leave with a surrogate-born baby will have to apply for a court order to remove the child from the country, a process that could take months.

Melissa Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, acknowledged that the embassy was aware of the reports and is seeking clarification about Thailand's immigration requirements. The Embassy is also talking to Thai government authorities to determine what the ramifications may be for U.S. parents who have already entered into surrogacy agreements in Thailand, Sweeney told the AP.

Australia has also responded to the crackdown. The country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement saying: "We strongly urge Australians entering Thailand for the purposes of commercial surrogacy to seek independent legal advice in both Thailand and Australia before doing so. In particular, they should seek advice on the implications of any new exit requirements."

Surrogacy has been unequivocally condemned by the Church as a sin against the sixth commandment of "Thou shall not commit adultery."

"Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral. These techniques  . . . infringe the child's right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses' "right to become a father and a mother only through each other" (Catechism No. 2376).

Children born of surrogacy agree with this position. Click here to read what some of these children have to say about the manner in which they were born.

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