Page 24 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE Vol 3

HUMAN AGENDA |identity of surrogates and couples and assigning ownership of babies. It is not that the authorities are unconcerned. There have been numerous debates, discussions and meetings on ART, ethics and legal enforcement over the past few decades but they have not led to much progress on the issue.Authorities still see surrogacy as an issue of individual choice, said Dr Poonsak, citing personal participation in those meetings. Over a decade ago, he attended one chaired by representatives from the Ministry of Health, state attorneys and medical professionals about developing better laws to regulate surrogacy. “State attorneys said that we should not pay much attention to the issue because it relates to a small group: unlucky infertile couples who need help.”Thailand is known as a hub for surrogacy, due to loopholes in law enforcement and the country’s world- class yet affordable ART. Couples from countries that ban surrogacy, such as Taiwan, Japan and Singapore, come to Thailand for those reasons. In Thailand they can hire agents to match their requirements with surro- gates-for-hire, ART practitioners and medical facilities. Needless to say, the business is systematic and well run.22 Elite+Thailand is known as a hub for surrogacy, due to loopholes in law enforcement and thecountry’s world-class yet affordable ART“Thailand is an ideal place for commercial surrogacy. Medical practitioners are high in quality and standards. Hospital facilities are of good quality and of course our surrogates are in abundant supply and relatively cheap.”The cost of hiring a surrogate mother is reportedly around 300,000baht, or US$10,000.Many view surrogacy as a matterof individual choice. Dr Poonsak anticipates a broader negative impact on society and medical ethics. “Commercial surrogacy can turn babies into products. So the next question is what happens if the products are defective, when babies