Temple worker recalls the stench in 2010

Shockwaves throughout Thailand

Nursing assistant's underground operation

Abortion activist on her thoughts, experience

2021, sweeping legal changes come to Thailand

Karma: Why doctors don't perform abortions

Abortion made legal, have tele-health services

Rumours of foetuses' souls haunting temple

This is the 2010 case that became a turning point in Thailand's debate over abortion.  

Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.

Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

Be transported back to the events of 2010, when the discovery of thousands of rotting foetuses, hidden in a Bangkok temple - led to more awareness and debate over illegal abortions in Buddhist-majority Thailand.

The grisly remains at Wat Phai Ngern were traced to a network of clinics. The case uncovered the scale of the illegal abortion industry at a time when the procedure was still largely illegal and heavily stigmatised.

ST's Thailand correspondent Tan Tam Mei interviews and narrates this podcast.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:03 A dog chews on something in the middle of a Bangkok temple; long-time temple worker Supote Leangbamrong recalls the stench and discovery by authorities in 2010

5:52 Shockwaves throughout Thailand; abortion hardly discussed and was largely illegal and taboo back then 

08:57 Nursing assistant Lanchakorn Janthamanas's underground operation; roping in two temple undertakers to dispose of the bodies

11:40 Abortion activist Supeecha Baotip on how voices of women were missing in the discussion on abortion, her own story and how much has changed since the crime case

17:44 Restrictions against abortion relaxed in 2021, sweeping legal changes in Thailand

20:00 Cultural beliefs: Why some doctors don't perform abortions because they are afraid of karma

23:09 Expanding availability of legal abortions and to change mindsets; abortion offered as a tele-health service in Thailand

25:05 Rumours about the souls of the aborted foetuses haunting the temple still linger, even more than a decade later

Interviews & narration by: Tan Tam Mei (tammei@sph.com.sg)

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis (ernest@sph.com.sg) and Tan Tam Mei

Podcast Producers: Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Voiceovers: Raul Dancel, Shahrena Hassan, Lee Nian Tjoe, Joel Chng

Copy editor: Choo Li Meng

Follow ST’s True Crimes Of Asia Podcast:

Channel: https://str.sg/i44T

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/i44q

Spotify: https://str.sg/i44c

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Tan Tam Mei's articles: https://str.sg/iJxJ

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

---

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#truecrimes

This is the 2010 case that became a turning point in Thailand's debate over abortion.  
Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.
Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
Be transported back to the events of 2010, when the discovery of thousands of rotting foetuses, hidden in a Bangkok temple - led to more awareness and debate over illegal abortions in Buddhist-majority Thailand.
The grisly remains at Wat Phai Ngern were traced to a network of clinics. The case uncovered the scale of the illegal abortion industry at a time when the procedure was still largely illegal and heavily stigmatised.
ST's Thailand correspondent Tan Tam Mei interviews and narrates this podcast.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:03 A dog chews on something in the middle of a Bangkok temple; long-time temple worker Supote Leangbamrong recalls the stench and discovery by authorities in 2010
5:52 Shockwaves throughout Thailand; abortion hardly discussed and was largely illegal and taboo back then  08:57 Nursing assistant Lanchakorn Janthamanas's underground operation; roping in two temple undertakers to dispose of the bodies
11:40 Abortion activist Supeecha Baotip on how voices of women were missing in the discussion on abortion, her own story and how much has changed since the crime case 17:44 Restrictions against abortion relaxed in 2021, sweeping legal changes in Thailand 20:00 Cultural beliefs: Why some doctors don't perform abortions because they are afraid of karma 23:09 Expanding availability of legal abortions and to change mindsets; abortion offered as a tele-health service in Thailand
25:05 Rumours about the souls of the aborted foetuses haunting the temple still linger, even more than a decade later
Interviews &amp; narration by: Tan Tam Mei (<a href="mailto:tammei@sph.com.sg">tammei@sph.com.sg</a>) Executive Producers: Ernest Luis (<a href="mailto:ernest@sph.com.sg">ernest@sph.com.sg</a>) and Tan Tam Mei Podcast Producers: Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani Voiceovers: Raul Dancel, Shahrena Hassan, Lee Nian Tjoe, Joel Chng
Copy editor: Choo Li Meng
Follow ST’s True Crimes Of Asia Podcast: Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/i44T" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/i44T&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1w2JqgQ6b8isa8Rq8ibTEB">https://str.sg/i44T</a> Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/i44q" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/i44q&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ysGqAHlm38cCulfGRFen9">https://str.sg/i44q</a> Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/i44c" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/i44c&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jiUQCPfsC2tYZDmwAiD47">https://str.sg/i44c</a> SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.awedio.sg/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0A1wFA9A-GaMGZCjztCdG9">https://www.awedio.sg/</a> Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1cslXd9JWb_9ut5RLY0dLj">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a> Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a> Read Tan Tam Mei's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iJxJ">https://str.sg/iJxJ</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
The Usual Place: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
Hard Tackle: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
---
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#truecrimes

Synopsis: A 6-part series from April till September 2023, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. 

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis, Tan Tam Mei & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: A 6-part series from April till September 2023, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. 
Executive Producers: Ernest Luis, Tan Tam Mei &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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