Thailand – Safe abortion is a must

EDITORIAL, BANGKOK POST
4 OCT 2022

The recent move to permit abortions for women who are 12–20 weeks pregnant puts the pendulum swinging in the right direction for rights groups in Thailand. Yet, the policy is far from providing sufficient safe and legal abortion services to those who need them.

The amendment to Section 305(5) of the Criminal Code that regulated the elective termination of pregnancy will come into effect at the end of this month after changes were codified and gazetted on Sept 26. The country now allows women 12–20 weeks pregnant to seek medical consultation at state hospitals before being allowed to receive legal abortion services.

Continued: https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2406480/safe-abortion-is-a-must

04.10.2022

Editorial

Featured

abortion law reform

Dr Ekachai Piensriwatchara

lack of abortion information

Medical Council of Thailand

National Human Rights Commission

Thailand abortion law

Thailand legalises early abortions; pro-choice groups want more

TAmendments expected to come into force this week, placing Thailand among more liberal Southeast Asian nations on reproductive rights.

By Zsombor Peter
9 Feb 2021

Thailand’s parliament has passed changes to the country’s criminal code, giving women full abortion rights in the first trimester of their pregnancy, almost a year after a top court ruled that existing curbs ran counter to the constitution.

Pro-choice groups have met the move with muted praise. They say the amendments do not go far enough and warn that many women may still turn to risky illegal abortions unless the government also commits to raising awareness and expanding access.

Continued: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/9/thailand-legalises-early-abortions-pro-choice-groups-want-more

Explained: What are the amendments in Thailand’s abortion law

The opposition to abortion comes mainly from Thailand’s majority of conservative Theravada Buddhists who believe that abortion goes against the teachings of Buddhism.

Written by Mehr Gill
January 29, 2021

On Monday, Thailand’s Parliament voted to make abortion during the first 12
weeks of pregnancy legal. Before this, abortion was illegal in the country,
regardless of the duration of the pregnancy and was allowed only in limited
circumstances governed by the country’s medical council.

This week, another country made an announcement dealing with abortion laws. On
Wednesday, the right-wing Polish government said it will publish a court ruling
that proposed a near-total ban on abortion in its journal. This ruling banned
termination of pregnancies including of foetuses with defects. The government’s
sudden announcement has sparked countrywide protests in the country, where
abortion laws were already very strict.

Continued: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-are-the-amendments-in-thailands-abortion-law-7166734/

29.01.2021

Chumaporn “Waddao” Taengkliang

Chumaporn Taengkliang

Human Rights Watch

Medical Council of Thailand

Phra Shine Waradhammo

Thailand Should Fully Decriminalize All Abortion

Draft Law Falls Short of 2020 Constitutional Court ruling

January 25, 2021
Heather Barr, Interim Co-Director, Women's Rights Division

Thailand's parliament is set to pass a law to permit abortions in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The law represents some progress in a country that currently threatens to imprison people who have abortions at any stage of their pregnancy but falls short of ensuring reproductive rights protected by international human rights law.

In February 2020, Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled that the existing criminal code provision, which imprisons for up to three years people who have an abortion and five years for those who perform them, is unconstitutional. It gave the government 360 days to change the law, and with the unconstitutional provisions identified by the court set to be automatically repealed by February 12, 2021, time is running short.

Continued: https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/25/thailand-should-fully-decriminalize-all-abortion#

Planned Parenthood Hails New Law Allowing 12-week Abortion

By Khaosod English
November 19, 2020

BANGKOK — A leading family planning organization on Wednesday welcomed a legal amendment that would allow abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and protect doctors who perform the operations from prosecution.

The change to Thailand’s Criminal Codes was approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, and is expected to come into effect by February 2021. A spokesman for the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand said the protection of rights to abortion would help save women from undergoing unsafe prodecures to terminate their pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/11/19/planned-parenthood-hails-new-law-allowing-12-week-abortion/

19.11.2020

Featured

News

abortion law reform

Medical Council of Thailand

Phra Phayom Kalayano

Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand

Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Thailand – Abortion in first 12 weeks to be allowed

PUBLISHED : 17 NOV 2020

The cabinet has approved a law amendment bill that allows women with pregnancies of not more than 12 weeks to get an abortion.

If approved by the House of Representatives early next year, the bill will let such women have abortion if they “insist on terminating the pregnancies”.

Continued: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2021147/abortion-in-first-12-weeks-to-be-allowed

17.11.2020

Medical Council of Thailand

Rachada Dhnadirek

Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Thailand – A choice, not a death warrant

A choice, not a death warrant
Many unaware safe abortion an option

29 Jun 2020
Penchan Charoensuthipan

Noi thought her world had tumbled down when she discovered she was pregnant at
the age of 50.

But it has dawned on Noi, a teacher, that an unwanted pregnancy could happen to
any woman, young or old. What compounds the already dire situation for many
women is that they feel their only choice is to have an illegal abortion.

Continued: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1942568/a-choice-not-a-death-warrant