Gammy may not survive: surrogate mother

The ill baby boy abandoned by his Australian parents in Thailand has little chance of survival despite an outpouring of donations, according to his surrogate mother.

Six-month-old Gammy, who has Down syndrome and a congenital heart condition, was rushed to a Thai hospital on Thursday with a lung infection as Australians raised more than $200,000 for his medical care.

But his surrogate mother 21-year-old Pattharamon Janbua told a Thai Rath reporter at the clinic: "I think the baby will not make it because his lung infection is too serious."

The development comes as Ms Pattharamon announced her plans to press charges against the agency that offered her $11,700 to become a surrogate mother.

Ms Pattharamon said she had received no assistance for Gammy, who was left with his poverty-stricken surrogate after an anonymous Western Australia couple learned of his conditions.

The Australian pair returned home with Gammy's healthy twin sister.

Ms Pattharamon said she wanted to confront the agent she had been dealing with but they had "disappeared".

She says she is still owed $2341 for carrying the couple's children.

Speaking from Gammy's hospital room, Ms Pattharamon vowed to look after him and thanked the Australian public for their generosity.

"I never thought I would get this much help from strangers," she said.

Australian authorities are now investigating Gammy's circumstances and in discussion with their Thai counterparts about surrogacy in Thailand.

There are currently about 400 surrogate pregnancies involving Australian parents in Thailand, according to Surrogacy Australia.

"The alleged circumstances of the case raise broader legal and other issues relating to surrogacy in Thailand," a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Fairfax Media.

"We hope to be in a position to provide further comment and advice to the Australian public in coming days."

Gammy is likely to be moved to another hospital with better facilities tomorrow.

Source: Thai Rath, Fairfax Media, Nine News
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Kieran Campbell