Thailand is cracking down on illegal surrogacy with full force. The Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) is leading the charge to put an end to this problem. They are working on changing the law, known as the "Protection of a Child Born by Medically Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, B.E. 2558 (2015)," to make the penalties tougher for people involved in illegal surrogacy, like middlemen and women hired as surrogates.
The head of DHSS, Sura Wisetsak, is very worried about the increasing number of illegal surrogacy cases in the country. They are teaming up with the Royal Thai Police's investigators to find out if criminals are taking advantage of legal loopholes with the help of foreign criminal groups. The Bangkok Post has reported on this issue.
Although the exact details are still being worked out, the proposed changes will mean harsher punishments. People found guilty of being middlemen or hired surrogates will face bigger fines and longer prison sentences. Sura Wisetsak has confirmed that the process of making these changes is still ongoing.
Illegal surrogacy has become a big problem in Thailand, especially during the pandemic. Because of closed borders, many surrogates couldn't give birth in other countries, so babies were born in Thailand and left behind.
Last year, the Department of Special Investigation found out that at least 19 children were born in the country through illegal surrogacy arrangements. These children are now being taken care of by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
Akom Praditsuwan, the deputy head of DHSS, said that there are 108 care units in Thailand where assisted reproductive technology is offered. These units are in both public and private hospitals.
The success rate of these services is quite high, at 46%. There have been 20,000 cases of in-vitro fertilization and 12,000 cases of artificial breeding. The goal of the proposed changes to the law is to tackle the issue of illegal surrogacy while making sure that legitimate reproductive services can still be provided in the country.
Not all surrogacy arrangements are illegal. At MyMedGlobal, we are proud to be a leading medical tourism platform dedicated to facilitating the process of creating new life while ensuring the safety and well-being of intended parents and surrogates. We have established a vast network of reputable fertility clinics across various countries, including Colombia, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, and more, all of which have demonstrated remarkable success rates.
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