The director of a leading international surrogacy agency says the Thai government’s crackdown on services is already forcing people to seek surrogates in new frontiers such as Mexico and Nepal.

Become Parents director Gaurav Wankhede said the restrictions in India, and now Thailand, meant that he was now advising clients to travel elsewhere to guarantee getting a baby.

"If people don’t qualify to go to India, they go to Thailand; but now, in light of Thailand's changing surrogacy laws, this is not an option," he said. "It will just force people to go to Mexico, the US, or other countries where there is a market."

He recommends clients travel to Mexico or the United States, where surrogacy laws offer protection for the surrogate, the intended parents, and the baby. He said clients were more likely to go to Mexico where the process costs about $40,000. In the US, costs can be up to $150,000.

Mr Wankhede said it was unlikely the Thai surrogacy trade would be forced further underground as part of the crackdown after baby Gammy.

Thailand’s strict military rulers have ordered that altruistic surrogacy will be permitted only when a married couple cannot conceive a child and engages a blood relative to carry their child. "Thailand was an option that was there for couples and now it’s not there anymore," he said.

"Because of the military government, I don’t think it will go underground. There are too many people watching. They are conscious of the effect that this will have on the economy but they want a cleaner image."

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