VIENTIANE, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Lao Health officials are investigating a report that human sperm has been imported into Laos, local daily Vientiane Times quoted a senior government official as saying on Tuesday.
Lao law prohibits the trade of human organs including blood and sperm, Director General of Health Care Department under Lao Ministry of Health Chanphomma Vongsamphan told Vientiane Times on Monday.
Thai media reported on Saturday that a man attempting to smuggle what is believed to be human sperm out of Thailand to another fertility clinic in neighboring Laos was arrested recently.
Nithinon Srithaniyanun, the courier, told Thai authorities that he had picked up sperm from four clinics in Bangkok for delivery to another fertility clinic in the Lao capital of Vientiane, Thailand's the Nation reported, citing the authorities in charge.
Nithinon was earlier arrested by authorities at the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge checkpoint in the northeastern Thai province of Nong Khai where he attempted to smuggle six tubes of what is believed to be human sperm stored in a frozen nitrogen tank into Laos.
Thai customs officials said Nithinon had travelled from Thailand to Laos 20 times during July last year and February this year. In addition, he also travelled to Cambodia 24 times from September last year to April this year.
Chanphomma said Lao Health Minister Bounkong Syhavong has told officials in charge to inspect the report. "We have inquired into a consultant of the clinic in question. The consultant denied any involvement by the clinic in illegal action," he said.
Chanphomma stated that further investigation is being carried out to verify the issue. He stated that there is not a clinic in Laos that is licenced to offer surrogacy services. But many clinics are licenced to offer healthcare services including offering consultations on how couples should prepare themselves and their health as they plan to have a baby.
