Semen smugglers to face legal action

Semen smugglers to face legal action

Doctors at Khon Kaen Hospital show the semen container on Saturday. The container was seized from a man while he was trying to cross the border to Laos in Nong Khai province on Friday. (Photo by Jakkrapan Natanri)
Doctors at Khon Kaen Hospital show the semen container on Saturday. The container was seized from a man while he was trying to cross the border to Laos in Nong Khai province on Friday. (Photo by Jakkrapan Natanri)

Legal action will be taken against those involved in the smuggling of the cryogenically stored semen seized on Friday in Nong Khai province after tests showed it was of human, according to a doctor.

Charnchai Chandarachaikul, director of Khon Kaen Hospital, said on Saturday the medical tests had been completed and the sperm remained strong.

The 2015 surrogacy law bans the smuggling of human semen, punishable by a jail term up to three years or a fine not more than 60,000 baht, or both.

The test results will be sent to the Health Service Support Department in Nonthaburi province for further action while the Khon Kaen Hospital will collect DNA from the samples, said Dr Charnchai.

"The six phials were put in a 4.1-litre liquid nitrogen container at minus 200 degrees Celsius. The fact that it was prepared in a portable state showed people with artificial insemination knowledge -- doctors, specialists or animal technicians -- were involved," he said.

Each of the six phials contains less than one cubic centimetre. Each cc contains 40-60 million sperm.

Before returning the evidence, the hospital put more liquid nitrogen in the container so the evidence can be kept for another 30 days.

The surrogacy law took effect on July 30, 2015, with the aim of allowing legally registered couples use the latest technologies to solve fertility problems while preventing abuses with ethically and morally controversial consequences. It also bans surrogacy and trafficking of semen, eggs or foetus.  

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