Thai law allows those suffering to take steps to end their lives

 

 

Thailand has not legalised euthanasia or assisted suicide like other countries but there is Section 12 in the National Health Act that allows a person to make a “living will in writing” to pass away naturally and peacefully, Medical Council secretary general Dr Itthaporn Kanachareon said yesterday.
 

It is highly unlikely that Thailand would introduce legalised euthanasia for many reasons, including concern over which diseases should be deemed necessary for euthanasia and the life insurance system, he commented. 

 

Thailand only has an allowance in Section 12 for a person to make a “living will in writing” to refuse resuscitation or medical treatments that would only prolong his/her terminal state of life. Such action would end that person’s severe suffering from illness and must be abided by all relevant parties, including relatives and the doctor, he said. Only a few people had used such a right, he added.

 

Itthaporn’s comment followed news circulating on social media about a Thai man in his 40s who reportedly had an incurable brain tumor that caused him great suffering over the past decade. He travelled to a clinic in Switzerland to seek voluntary euthanasia and duly passed away on March 1. 

 

The doctor said euthanasia was legal in some European countries and some states in the USA but could only be done according to the law and regulations in that country. “There is also a clear condition about who can get such service, not just anybody can do it,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365251

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-06

Who needs euthanasia when all you have to do to die is get drunk/stoned and drive a car/motorcycle on Thailand roads and be of the 60 odd daily fatalities...

A right to die is your own choice, and no law should inhibit that decision,

suicide is still a crime in some countries, some attempted  rescued or survied peoples  have found them selfs locked up for the attempt, 

assisted in your own bed or hospital should be your right, 

The case above has such an expensive cost that is totally unnecessary, unfair to all involved, 

 

If you can't kill wild dogs in Thailand, it stands to reason you can't kill yourself.

Yes. Living Will to prolong untold suffering while waiting for natural causes to end one's life. Excellent prospect for terminally ill people. Take a page from progressive Canada... A person's intention is honoured if they wish to die instead of extended suffering and pain.

The place to go in Switzerland is called Dignitis.

 

They are wrong when they say that the option of euthanasia is only available to some. It is available to anyone from any country providing that you have a letter from your doctor saying that your situation is terminal. You go there and are then assessed by their doctor and if he agrees then you can have the fatal dose of medicine, but you have to be able to self-admisister it. If you are so ill that you cannot hold a cup up to your mouth then you will be refused.

This is because the process is put on film for the benefit of the police who will be called after your death to coroberate that you did indeed commit suicide.

 

You can have all your family with you when you take the lethal dose and pass away peacefully.

 

I read all this in a magazine a couple of years ago, and it has stuck with me because I don't want to die a

horrible lingering death when for around 5,000 GBP if I can physically get there, I would want to end my life that way

Never let a business opportunity pass by.....

2 hours ago, leeneeds said:

The case above has such an expensive cost that is totally unnecessary, unfair to all involved, 

What's wrong with a balcony?

1 hour ago, jerojero said:

Yes. Living Will to prolong untold suffering while waiting for natural causes to end one's life. Excellent prospect for terminally ill people. Take a page from progressive Canada... A person's intention is honoured if they wish to die instead of extended suffering and pain.

Yes.Living will to end prolonged medication and just keeping you alive to increase the bill to benefit the hospital.I believe you can also state the amount of pain medication you want to receive but i am not sure about this.Anyway two different ways to see this.

10 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

What's wrong with a balcony?

If that is what you want to do ,do it now because you do not know if you are able to climb the rail later.

Oh YES, life is precious in Thailand.  They'd make millions if there was a 'death visa' for a couple thousand baht with medical end care guaranteed.

37 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

What's wrong with a balcony?

The onlookers? Including children? The people who might be walking below?

Looks like the charcoal burner in the car is a popular exit with Thais

 i would 100% agree with ezzra  but don't need to get drunk just drive amongst the Thai drivers they will end your life .no problem

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

Who needs euthanasia when all you have to do to die is get drunk/stoned and drive a car/motorcycle on Thailand roads and be of the 60 odd daily fatalities...

Huge numbers of the youth in Asia die in motorcycle accidents every day.

5 hours ago, mikebell said:

If you can't kill wild dogs in Thailand, it stands to reason you can't kill yourself.

Nicely spotted... you beat me to it!

5 hours ago, mikebell said:

If you can't kill wild dogs in Thailand, it stands to reason you can't kill yourself.

Oh, but you can. In the 'ranking order', we (farangs) are well below soi dogs.

A Euthanasia go-go bar sounds quite attractive to me.

45 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

A Euthanasia go-go bar sounds quite attractive to me.

so long as it's top-less go-go and if you cant get a rise out of that, then it's certainly time to end it.

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

What's wrong with a balcony?

i am afraid of heights.

8 hours ago, mikebell said:

If you can't kill wild dogs in Thailand, it stands to reason you can't kill yourself.

In my area when I was out of country and no local vets would euthanize my old dog in her final stages of suffering.  My Thai family did not want to see it happen either so when I returned to Thailand (she had died naturally after 3 days ) I found one vet who when pushed for an answer said they hate to euthanize but should it ever happen to my 2 other dogs he could do it for 4,300 baht?  Everything has a price right?  I don't see this protect life at all costs and humane treatment when killing various animals for meat consumption?

If they won't euthanize loved pets what are the chances of enacting laws where people can humanely end their lives here?

 

From personal observation in Thailand  Doctors will acknowledge and respect a patients verbal request for non intervention. Also from immediate family. In both situations  death was imminent and medically unavoidable beyond the short  term.

I can not see how any legislative system could provide more than that which could  guarantee no criminal abuse if assisted suicide or euthanasia was permitted despite the fact that in situations of extreme suffering  it would be the kindest option or personal choice.

 

 

 

I would urge anyone living in Thailand to create a living will asap, especially if you don't have insurance (which you should get). My best friend is currently in Bangkok caring for his father, who is an expat there with no insurance, who unexpectedly got a brain tumor and has declined within the past 2 months to being a complete vegetable. He has been kept alive despite being in a horrible state, because he had no living will and there are no euthanasia options in Thailand. It's a nightmare for my friend, as he has to do visa runs for his dad, deal with Thai doctors without the ability to speak Thai, he had to find a decent hospice for him and get him transported there, etc. , and he has run through his whole inheritance, with no support whatsoever.  He can't leave Bangkok and is sort of in limbo with his life until the dad dies. I feel so bad for him (and less so, for the dad). The latest update (this morning) is that the doctors finally took his father off the intubation, and are going to starve him going forward, but this should have happened way earlier.  Most of these problems could have been avoided if there had been a living will in place. 

I don't know what's the big deal. Most countries in the world have an option on a paper to tick and sign that says "do not resuscitate." And if you're a vegetable that can't make that decision, your immediate family can call it a day for you. You can write a will anywhere. 

On 3/6/2019 at 7:13 PM, SweetStickyRice said:

I don't know what's the big deal. Most countries in the world have an option on a paper to tick and sign that says "do not resuscitate." And if you're a vegetable that can't make that decision, your immediate family can call it a day for you. You can write a will anywhere. 

That's the whole point. It's called a living will, and no, you can't write a will anywhere and expect it to be legally valid in Thailand.