National—
On February 20th, 2024, Dr. Surat Wisetsak, the Director-General of the Department of Health Service Support (DHSS), announced proposed amendments to the Surrogacy Law, aiming to allow surrogacy for married couples without specifying gender requirements.
Dr. Surat also addressed surrogacy for the LGBT+ community, stating that legally same-sex married couples could pursue surrogacy or use assisted reproductive technology, emphasizing the need for legally recognized marriages.
Read about the Thai government policy fostering the Marriage Equality Act.
These changes would modernize the law and simplify the process without drafting a new one, remarked Dr. Surat.
Dr. Surat addressed the surrogate mother’s role and the potential involvement of relatives if the intended parents pass away. It highlighted the importance of prioritizing the well-being of children born through assisted reproductive technology, aligning with the law’s goal of ensuring comprehensive protection for them, stated Dr. Surat.
Regarding surrogacy for foreigners, Dr. Surat clarified that current laws require at least one member of the couple to be Thai only, with no amendments allowing foreign nationals to undergo surrogacy in Thailand as of present.
Furthermore, on a similar topic regarding the LGBT moment in Thailand, Mr. Tunyawaj Kamolwongwat, the Move Forward Party MP, mentioned the consideration of draft legislation on gender identity for ID cards as self-determination during an upcoming Thai parliament session on February 21st.
This legislation aimed to address issues related to official documents, travel, dress codes, and financial transactions concerning gender identity, said Tunyawaj.
However, the decision was not finalized and needed to go through further processing before the Thai cabinet approval.
