Abortion in first 12 weeks to be allowed

The cabinet has approved a law amendment bill that allows women with pregnancies of not more than 12 weeks to get an abortion.

If approved by the House of Representatives early next year, the bill will let such women have abortion if they “insist on terminating the pregnancies”.

The amendments also decriminalise doctors who perform an abortion if such conditions are met. 

The bill amends two sections of the Criminal Code.

The new Section 301 allows women with pregnancies of not more than 12 weeks to get abortion. In the current version, abortion is not allowed in all cases.

The 12-week period is based on the opinions of the Medical Council of Thailand and the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, which view it as the safest period with fewest risks, deputy…