2014 - A Thai Court’s Wonderful Decision

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The day the court approved my adoption of Peter was one of the happiest moments of my life.
He was bright-eyed, curious, and full of energy when we stood together in the quiet, sunlit courtroom. The process had taken years, but every signature, every form, and every visit had been worth it.

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Before the final court hearing, I had during several years undergone the complete adoption-approval procedure required for a foreign applicant: background and financial investigations, interviews, and home visits. I was summoned to the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok, where my fingerprints and records were formally processed, and social inspectors visited our home in Chiang Mai several times to evaluate our family environment. Their reports were positive and supportive throughout.

At the same time, I also obtained a police clearance from Norway, confirming a clean record.

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When the judge finally announced the decision, there was no applause, only a deep, peaceful silence — the kind that comes when something truly right has been done.
With or without that decision, we were already a family, as we had been ever since Peter came into our lives. But it felt deeply good to have it formally confirmed.

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A few weeks later, Peter proudly received his new Thai ID card with his new family name: Ittipat Meling.

I can still picture him standing against the wall to measure his height for the photo, stretching a little taller, full of pride and happiness.

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Looking back, I often think about how easily it might never have happened.
It was thanks to the kind support and encouragement of Tom Trommestad at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok that I took the first steps toward the adoption of Peter.
Without his understanding and kind guidance at that early stage, this dream might never have become a reality.