Here comes another non evidence-based, cart before the wheel and populist example of dealing with a problem in a society that has jumped from pre-industrial era into the world-wide-web frenzy.

The Nation reports that Chalerm Yoobamrung, Thailand Public Health Minister is urging the Information Technology and Computer (ICT) ministry, which already censored quite a few websites, to close down websites that sell abortion drugs online.

Chalerm has a point when he says that anti-abortion drugs bought online can be harmful for women. But his underlying assumption that availability of abortion-drugs could lead to an increase of unprotected sex and therefore an increase in the number of HIV infections is not supported by evidences.

If the latter part is true, there is nothing to support the former. What Chalerm carefully avoids to mention is that abortion is still very much illegal in Thailand (being restricted to very specific circumstances) and that despite non-governmental initiative such as that of Mechai Viravaidya (Mr Condom) Population and Community Development Association (PDA), condom use in Thailand remains very low and particularly amongst young people. “Only about 25 percent of young men report using condoms when engaging in casual or risky sex, often because they do not view sex with other young people as risky.” reports a 2008 survey.

In Buddhist Thailand where pregnant girls do not attend school or university, abortion may be very much frown upon but is still being performed in up-market clinic or in urban centre where willing practicians won’t ask many questions. It is the lack of reproductive rights that drives pregnant women to access these online websites and closing them down won’t improve women’s life or prevent unwanted pregnancies.

If there is a risk that legalised abortion could increase the number of unprotected sex acts, it is more often because of non-existent or inappropriate and poorly defined education policies and poor communication between parents and their children that are to blame. Instead of closing down websites, the Health Minister should better urge the implementation of prevention strategies and education policies that work as well as guarantee reproductive rights for girls.
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