The Thai Senate authorized changes to Thailand's abortion legislation in a historic vote, empowering women to terminate their pregnancy during the first trimester and also changing the penalty for women who have an abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The changes will take effect on the 12th of February.
The Senate agreed yesterday that the Criminal Code should be changed to enable abortions done by a licensed provider during the first trimester, up to 12 weeks of birth. There will be no requirement for women to offer a justification for an abortion.
In favour of the reforms, there were 165 ballots and 7 opposed. Twenty-one senators abstained from voting and 1 did not cast a ballot.
Amended Articles 301 and 305 of the Penal Code of Thailand:
Section 301: A woman who gets an abortion risks up to 6 months in jail following 12 weeks of pregnancy and a fee of up to 10,000 baht.
Section 305: The suspect is not liable when:
Physically or internally, conception places the woman at risk.
The infant poses a substantial chance of having an injury or physical or emotional illness.
The woman was impregnated as a consequence of attack/rape.
The woman is persuaded that no other alternative remains.
Up to 20 weeks in the pregnancy, second-trimester abortions are allowed by a doctor or public health provider.
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