Thailand moves to allow early-stage abortions

Thai lawmakers have voted in favor of allowing abortion up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy while retaining penalties for later terminations, a move that pro-choice activists said fell short of protecting the rights of the mother.

In a late night session of the Senate on Monday, legislators voted 166-7 in favor of amending a law that criminalizes abortion and backing a plan that seeks to tackle unregulated terminations by nonmedical practitioners.

Under the amendment, an abortion after 12 weeks would be allowed only in certain conditions and would otherwise be punishable by up to six months in prison, or a fine of up to 10,000 baht (US$334) or both.

“This mean abortion is conditional and can only be done by doctors according to the law,” said Senator Wanlop Tangkhananurak.

The abortion amendment was passed by the lower house last week.

The change comes after a Constitutional Court decision last February that ruled criminalizing abortion was unconstitutional and violated human rights.

Under the new criteria, a termination after 12 weeks would be allowed if a certified doctor deems there is a high risk of fetal impairment, danger to the life of the mother, or if a pregnancy was the result of rape, deception or coercion.

But pro-choice activists said retaining penalties would maintain the stigma of abortion.

“We want all penalties to be revoked because it is a person’s right to abort a pregnancy without being punished,” said Nisarat Jongwisan, councilor and activist at Tam Tang, a pro-choice group.

“The penalties will impede on a person’s access to safe services and also tarnish the dignity of those women,” she said.