The Department of Health is concerned about Thai women dying or suffering from illegal and unsafe abortions due to societal attitudes still viewing it as a sin. Global abortion statistics show 46 million people, with 70,000 dying annually. The Department of Health is pushing forward with a network of volunteers to refer for pregnancy termination, RSA, to help teenagers and women who are not ready for pregnancy, using doctors and pregnancy termination drugs in the essential drug list safely and legally.
On March 8, 2018, Dr. Wachira Pengchan, Director-General of the Department of Health, stated that the World Health Organization estimates that each year there are approximately 46 million abortions worldwide, of which about 20 million are unsafe abortions, and approximately 70,000 women die from unsafe abortions annually. About 95% occur in developing countries, including Thailand. However, there is no clear data on pregnancy termination because many who are not ready for pregnancy cannot access safe and legal services, turning to illegal abortion services or purchasing pregnancy termination drugs online.
Dr. Wachira said that in the past, to reduce the harm from illness and death from unsafe abortions, the Department of Health collaborated with the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Siriraj, Ramathibodi, Khon Kaen, and Songkhla Nakarin, under the support of the Concept Foundation and the World Health Organization, to study and research the system of providing medical abortion services. Subsequently, the drug was pushed for registration in 2014 and included in the national essential drug list in 2015 for use in legal pregnancy termination services and medical council regulations.
The pregnancy termination drugs are called Mifepristone and Misoprostol. Currently, there is a combined pill called Metabole, which has been registered as an essential drug by the World Health Organization (WHO) and can be used safely for pregnancies less than 9 weeks. In Thailand, this drug formula was registered as MeFi-Miso in December 2014, and most recently, in June 2016, MeFi-Miso was included in the essential drug list C (1), meaning that the general public can access Mifepristone, Misoprostol, and Metabole, but must be within a special program of the Ministry, Department, or government agency that monitors and evaluates drug use. Currently, there is a network of 85 public and private hospitals and clinics across Thailand where women seeking pregnancy termination can access services. Generally, these drugs are not sold in pharmacies or hospitals and clinics not participating in the program.
“For over 60 years, Thai law has allowed women to terminate pregnancies under the Penal Code, Section 305, where the provider of pregnancy termination must be a licensed medical practitioner. In cases where the pregnant woman has physical or mental health problems or becomes pregnant due to a criminal offense as stipulated, such as rape, a child under 15 years old, or sexual service trade with or without consent, or indecent solicitation, but in the past, there have been very few health service facilities providing safe pregnancy termination services due to societal attitudes and many health service providers still view pregnancy termination negatively and oppose providing pregnancy termination services in their facilities. The Department of Health has therefore pushed for the establishment of a network of volunteers to refer for pregnancy termination (RSA: Referral System for Safe Abortion) to access services for teenagers and women who are not ready for pregnancy,” Dr. Wachira said.
Dr. Wachira said that those with problems can call the unplanned pregnancy consultation line 1663 to receive consultation services and referrals, whether the choice is to continue the pregnancy or terminate it, including providing effective contraception services. Currently, the RSA network has 110 officially appointed volunteer doctors from the Department of Health and 262 multidisciplinary volunteers to ensure Thai women have a good quality of life in celebration of International Women’s Day.
According to statistics from the National Health Security Office (NHSO) survey on the situation of pregnancy termination in Thailand in 2012, the mortality rate from unsafe pregnancy termination among Thai women is 25-30 per year, and approximately 30,000 are injured due to complications from unsafe pregnancy termination.
Pregnancy termination (abortion) can be legally performed for two reasons.
First reason: Legal reasons. When the pregnancy is a result of a criminal offense in cases of rape and cases related to the provision of sexual services with threats for the sale of sexual services, doctors can legally terminate the pregnancy. Including pregnant women not over 15 years old can terminate the pregnancy because there is a law protecting minors.
Second reason: Medical reasons. If the pregnancy affects the mother’s health, the pregnancy can be terminated.
Under Thai law, pregnancy termination or abortion is a criminal offense. A woman who causes herself to have an abortion or allows others to cause her to have an abortion is guilty under the Penal Code, Section 301, and is subject to imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine not exceeding 6,000 baht, or both.
At the same time, a person who causes a woman to have an abortion with her consent is guilty under the Penal Code, Section 302, and is subject to imprisonment for not more than five years, a fine not exceeding 10,000 baht, or both. If the abortion causes the woman to suffer serious harm, the person causing the abortion is subject to imprisonment for not more than seven years or a fine not exceeding 14,000 baht, or both. If the abortion causes the woman’s death, the person causing the abortion is subject to imprisonment for not more than ten years and a fine not exceeding 20,000 baht.
However, the Penal Code, Section 305, exempts the offense of the woman who has an abortion and the person who performs the abortion in cases where the abortion is performed by a licensed physician and is necessary for the woman’s health. In cases where the woman becomes pregnant due to rape, in cases where the pregnant woman is under 15 years old, and in cases where the pregnancy results from being deceived, forced, or threatened for indecent acts to satisfy lust.
Source: http://thaitribune.org/contents/detail/307?content_id=31605&rand=1520500510