A network of abortion rights and labour rights groups have demanded that the Social Security Office ensure access to abortion for individuals insured under the Social Security Scheme after they found that many individuals were turned away by hospitals or stigmatized by medical personnel for seeking abortions.

Network representatives at the Ministry holding signs calling for the Social Security Office to ensure access to safe abortion for insured persons. (Photo by Sabo Cat)

The Tamtang Foundation, the Referral System for Safe Abortion (RSAThai), the 1663 HIV and unplanned pregnancy hotline, and the Rangsit and Area Labour Union group filed a petition with Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong on 3 November demanding that the Ministry ensure that the Social Security Scheme follows its own June 2025 obligation and ensure that individuals seeking abortion are able to access the service free of charge.

Since 2021, abortion has been legal up to the 12th week of pregnancy or up to the 20th week with required examination and counselling. In June 2025, the Social Security Office announced that it now allows insured individuals to access legal abortion at registered medical facilities, the cost of which will be covered by the Scheme.

However, Tamtang Foundation Manager Chonthita Kraisrikul said that access to abortion remains difficult, and that some people have to wait months before they are able to get an abortion. Some hospitals have refused to perform abortions or refer patients to other facilities. Some personnel misunderstood the policy and patients had to pay for the procedure out of pocket. Individuals have also reported that they were reprimanded by medical personnel for seeking an abortion, made to feel guilty, and that personnel at some hospitals tried to convince them to continue with the pregnancy.

Chonthita Kraisrikul (Photo by Sabo Cat)

Chonthita said that despite several discussions with relevant agencies over the past several months, there is a delay in implementation, so the network is demanding that the Social Security Office ensure that its policy is implemented nationwide and to issue a guideline so that personnel understand the benefits that insured persons are entitled to and the referral process. The Social Security Office should also implement a supervision system with indicators to ensure that insured persons can access services without having to pay or be treated unfairly.

"We hope that Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong, as a woman, should understand how an unplanned pregnancy causes stress, difficulty, or hopelessness," Chonthita said, noting that a large number of people with unplanned pregnancies are of working-age, and so are already the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour and the Social Security Office.

Meanwhile, Sripai Nonsee, a member of the Rangsit and Area Labour Union Group, said that the Tamtang Foundation has tried to contact the Labour Minister to schedule a time to file their petition, with the assistance People’s Party MP Sia Jampathong. However, a few days earlier, they learned that the Minister was not available as she had to go to a funeral, and no other official had been assigned to receive the petition on her behalf. When they arrived at the Ministry, officials told them that they were not aware of any petition being filed and attempted to refuse acceptance.

Sripai said that the network previously met with the Social Security Office’s Secretary-General, but no progress has been made, so they now want to meet directly with the Minister, hoping that, as a woman, she would understand the issue better.

Representatives of the network filing their petition with ministry officials. (Photo by Sabo Cat)

Some Ministry representatives eventually came to receive the petition. They insisted that insured persons must be able to access the benefits, and that the Ministry will have a discussion to find out the source of the problem. It will then issue a letter to facilities requesting information, and then hold another discussion. The representatives did not say how long the process would take, but said that they will take action as soon as possible.

Supecha Baotip, Coordinator for the Tamtang Foundation, said that she does not feel like the Ministry is committed to resolving the issue and that she expected more enthusiasm from the Ministry.

The Tamtang Foundation will file another petition with the Social Security Board and the Social Security Office’s medical board later this month. They will visit the Ministry again in December as they are concerned that the problems will not be solved without further action.