Thailand's legislature gives initial approval to bill banning surrogacy
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
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.