[Cambodia] Gov’t to Crack Down on Surrogacy Clinics

Fleeing strict new laws at home, surrogacy companies are moving their “wombs for rent” services from Thailand to Cambodia, causing some analysts to raise concerns that would-be parents could be swindled by the little-regulated industry. 

Surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology are still in a legal gray area, as they are not explicitly protected or outlawed by Cambodian law. But this legal free-for-all may not last long. Government officials yesterday told Khmer Times that they plan to classify surrogacy as a form of human trafficking. 

If the government imposes new regulations, they could prevent children born to surrogate mothers from leaving the country, meaning that would-be parents could find themselves unable to bring their newborn home. 

Shift from Thailand

Despite the risks, surrogacy is booming in Cambodia. Sixteen surrogacy clinics have opened in the country since the Thai government imposed strict new anti-surrogacy laws early this year. Demand from foreign couples, especially Chinese and Australian ones, is high. With other popular surrogacy destinations like Nepal and India closing their borders, Cambodia has become one of the few nations in...