A 24-year-old Japanese man who has fathered more than a dozen surrogate babies in Thailand has expressed his readiness to go there and claim his children under Thai state protection, Thai police said Monday.

A senior police officer said the man communicated his wishes through his legal representative in Thailand.

Thai police have told the man to explain the circumstances surrounding his act of fathering surrogate babies, warning that legal action will be taken unless he gives an account personally to Thai police authorities.

The official said the man's legal representative got in touch with the police last Friday and said he will travel to Thailand by early October at the latest.

A parental test conducted through DNA samples provided by the man has shown he is the biological father of the babies.

The man's lawyer in Thailand has provided a written statement to police explaining why his client fathered the children through surrogacy.

According to Thai law, a father who wants to obtain parental rights needs to testify before a family court. Thai police have said they want to hear the man's explanations in person.

The man had also previously promised to visit Thailand to undertake the legal procedures of parenthood.

According to the police, the man has fathered 16 children in Thailand. He lawyer has said he also fathered two surrogate children in India.

The police said last month the man left Thailand with four newborn babies bound for Cambodia so far this year, taking with him one baby at a time.

The man, traveling with a Cambodian passport, visited that nation more than 10 times, according to Thai police.