ABORTION LAW AND ETHICS IN THAI SOCIETY

Abstract

         Abortion is the intentional removal of the baby from the mother's womb prematurely, which ends the life of the fetus in the mother In past. In the Thai Society, there was no law allowing pregnant women to have free abortions. Due to moral constraints, religious belief is against the tradition of society. However, there is a new law allows pregnant women to express their intention to terminate their pregnancy within the framework of the law. According to the Penal Code no 28 B.E. 2021, Section 301 and Section 305, It said that a woman of less than 12 weeks gestation is legally able to terminate the pregnancy, and article 305 provides for an abortion without offense, as follows: (1) It is necessary to act because of a problem with the woman's physical or mental health. (2) It is necessary to act because there is a risk that the fetus will be born with severe disabilities. (3) pregnant women due to sex offenses; (4) women whose gestational age is less than twelve weeks willingly terminate the pregnancy. (5) A woman whose gestational age exceeds twelve weeks but not more than twenty weeks Willingly terminate the pregnancy after consultation. If we focus on the ethical point of Thai society, it is contrary to morals, ethics, culture, and traditions. Because when a baby is born in the mother's womb, it can be considered that the life has been already occurred. Even legal, it is not considered to be a person. Therefore, it has proved that the enactment of this law is unethical in Thai society.