4 from over 100 Thai women rescued from illegal surrogacy in Georgia
The Paveena Foundation for Children and Women rescued four women from a group of over 100 Thai women who were deceived into travelling to Georgia for illegal surrogacy operations run by Chinese nationals.
One of the victims, Na, paid 70,000 baht for her freedom and returned to Thailand to seek help from the foundation to rescue other Thai women still trapped in Georgia. She also sought protection for herself, as the gang threatened to harm her if she exposed their illegal operations to the public.
Na told the foundation that she previously worked as a salesperson but struggled to cover her expenses. Wanting to provide better care for her child and help her husband pay off debt, she searched for a high-paying job on social media.
She came across an online job posting offering a salary of 400,000 to 600,000 baht. Interested in the opportunity, she contacted the administrator listed in the advertisement. The administrator assured her that the job involved legal surrogacy in Georgia.
According to the administrator, the company would cover accommodation, meals, flights from Thailand to Georgia, and visa fees.
Na accepted the offer and travelled to Georgia with ten other Thai women on August 30, departing from U-Tapao International Airport in Rayong province. A Thai woman, who claimed to be an employee of the company, guided them through each stage of the journey.
Human trafficking
They first flew to Dubai, where they transferred to Armenia before taking a ten-hour train ride to Georgia. Upon arrival, they stayed at a hotel for one night before being moved to four houses. Their passports were then confiscated. Na was placed in the largest house, where more than 60 Thai women were living together.
It was at this point that Na realised the grim reality of her situation. She saw that some of the women were exhausted and in poor health, while others were constantly in tears. Chinese nationals, suspected to be the gang leaders, visited each house frequently throughout the day.
All the women were forced to donate their eggs. The Chinese nationals administered ovulation stimulant injections to induce egg production, put the women under anaesthesia, and then extracted their eggs. Na feared that the resulting babies could become victims of human trafficking or organ harvesting.
Women who refused to provide their eggs were required to pay between 50,000 and 70,000 baht for their release. Na decided to contact her family for financial assistance and paid for her freedom, vowing to help others.
She returned to Thailand on September 9 last year and shared her ordeal with the Foundation, leading to the rescue of three more Thai women, who arrived in Thailand on January 30.
The foundation’s founder, Paveena Hongsakul, told Channel 3 that more than 100 Thai women remain trapped in Georgia, awaiting help. She urged the Thai government to coordinate with the Chinese government to investigate the matter and secure their release.
Na and the other three rescued women are now under the foundation’s close care for their safety, as all have received violent threats from the Chinese criminal gang.
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