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PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has become the latest country to issue a ban on commercial surrogacy after curbs on the industry in other parts of the globe sparked a local boom in the unregulated baby business.
Surrogacy agencies started springing up in the Southeast Asian nation after former hubs like Thailand and India blocked foreigners from the services following a flurry of scandals and concerns about exploitation.
With cheap medical costs and no laws excluding gay couples or single parents, Cambodia quickly absorbed much of the demand.
But a government edict sent to Cambodian fertility clinics and seen by AFP on Thursday (Nov 3) said that surrogacy was now "absolutely banned".
The proclamation, signed by the health minister last week, asked all medical professionals to comply with the injunction, though it did not spell out a legal punishment.
Phon Puthborey, spokesman for the Ministry of Women's Affairs, said the government was working on other regulatory schemes to prevent rights abuses in the controversial industry, which is outlawed is most countries.
"This is a transitional period because we have not had a...