Ten year old Thai allowed to stay in Denmark

Wasuthon and his adoptive parrents – Photo: Michael Svenningsen

Ten-year-old Wasuthon Nielsen also called “Guide” came to Denmark from Thailand in 2018 after his adoptive mother, Praphatsanun Nielsen, brought him with her to her Danish hometown of Taulov, where she lives with her Danish husband Niels Jørgen Fries Nielsen. After three years in Denmark, where “Guide” in the meantime had started school in a Danish class, the Danish authorities decided to deport Wasuthon back to Thailand after his Thai-approved adoption failed to be recognized by Danish Law. The family’s subsequent two applications for a Danish adoption were also denied by the Danish Agency of Family Law.

The Wasuthon case caused a stir in the local community with friends of Wasuthon criticizing the authority’s statement that Wasuthon’s sense of belonging in Denmark wasn’t strong enough for an adoption.

In addition, the mayor of Fredericia municipal addressed the Danish Minister of Immigration and Integration, Mattias Tesfaye, asking him to urge authorities for a speedy process on the case at the Appeal Authority.

Despite the two rejections for approval of the adoption by The Agency of Family Law, the Appeal Authority instead ruled in favor of Wasuthon and approved the adoption made in Thailand by his adoptive mother opening op for a Danish registered adoption.

Guide’s adoptive father Niels Jørgen Fries Nielsen was happy about the ruling and now believes that getting a Danish registered adoption approved is a mere formality.

“I see the adoption as a formality which just needs to be sorted. Nothing is standing in the way of it when the biological parents agree to it in accordance with Danish law. They have already done so in accordance with Thai law,” Niels Jørgen explains and adds, that his wife is very happy about the turn of events.