Are Thailand’s physically-disabled women being sterilized against their will
Some physically-disabled women in Thailand have, according to The Nation, been sterilized without their knowledge or permission. There are a lot of holes in this news story, but if what is being asserted is true, it’s unacceptable.
“Some of them don’t even know when it happened,” Nattaya Boonpakdee said yesterday. “These women found out the harsh reality only after they visited doctors to check why they were not becoming pregnant after being married for a long time.”
Nattaya heads the Thai Health Promotion Foundation’s sexual-health promotion division.
“We have to end this problem,” Nattaya said, referring to the fact that many disabled women were sterilized against their will.
The obvious question to ask is, “How were these women sterilized without their knowledge or permission?” This report is a poor show by The Nation.
“When disabled women become pregnant, hospital officials say they are irresponsible and their children will become a burden to society,” said [Dr Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer of the Mahidol University].
Penchan said a disabled woman once complained that she was sterilized because government officials were afraid that she would become pregnant if raped.
There is really nothing to back up these claims. Furthermore, where is the aforementioned disabled woman? Where and when was she sterilized? Is this an isolated case? Were her claims ever substantiated? We simply don’t know and it looks more like hearsay at this stage.
If a reporter had given me this story I would have sent it straight back to him or her. I hope The Nation follows this story up.
February 6th, 2008 at 4:29 am
Not that a bad post.. But don’t you have some good story about the Chinese New Year in Phuket? ;-)
February 6th, 2008 at 5:09 am
I’m coming to that. There’s not much happening except firecrackers at the moment.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Will there be anything for Chinese New Year? I mean we are still in mourning, right? I don’t think I can stay awake tonight to venture into town.. wait until next year to blog Chinese New Year!
February 6th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I’ve heard from Thai friends that this is standard practice but didn’t think it could be true. But maybe if it’s even reached the national press there may be something in it. Quite disturbing really, but not beyond belief I guess.
February 7th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Well, I drove past Wat Chalong last night and the fair seemed pretty lively, so I don’t think the mourning thing is totally on. And I keep seeing pickups with drummers and mah song driving around for CNY. Seems like there’s some stuff happening still happening.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:55 am
If this is true it certainly deserves more media attention. Where does it stop? If disabled mothers are a burden to society, does that mean all pregnant teenagers and single mums-to-be should be forced to have abortions?
By the way, Chinese New Year celebrations are under way as usual here in Bangkok. Firecrackers going off everywhere and i’ve seen a bedraggled looking dragon worming its way around town looking for money.
February 7th, 2008 at 8:55 am
The Nation is a tabloid purposely printed on broadsheet. C’mon! We all know that! Shift to the Post.
February 9th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
[...] The Lost Boy looks at whether or not disabled people are being involuntarily sterilized. [...]