Surrogacy ban gets initial approval in Thailand after scandals

BANGKOK – A lawmaker says Thailand’s interim parliament has given initial approval to a bill banning commercial surrogacy, the practice of hiring a woman to carry a fetus to term.

Thailand was rocked by several surrogacy scandals earlier this year. One involved an Australian couple who took home a healthy baby girl born from a Thai surrogate mother but left behind her twin brother who had Down syndrome. The other case involved a Japanese man who fathered at least 16 babies via Thai surrogates.

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READ MORE: Australian parents deny abandoning child with Down syndrome in Thailand

National Legislative Assembly member Chet Siratharanon said the bill passed its first reading on Thursday. The interim government installed after a military coup in May vowed to outlaw commercial surrogacy and punish offenders with up to 10 years in prison.

READ MORE: Could a Canadian family abandon their baby carried by surrogate mom?