Since countries bordering Laos, such as Thailand and Cambodia, banned surrogacy in 2015, numerous clinics have sprung up in Laos, which has become the destination of choice for many sterile couples from all over the world. The fees charged by these clinics are “very interesting” for westerners. Sperm trafficking has developed alongside drug trafficking (see: Sperm trafficking detected on the border between Thailand and Laos).
There are many surrogate mothers in this part of the world but very few give birth in Laos because of the shortage of neonatal intensive care units. Most women travel to Thailand or Cambodia to give birth. Although the infant has been born through surrogacy, this is not deemed to be a violation of the law since it is a birth and not an entire surrogacy procedure carried out within the country per se.
In view of this situation, a potential surrogacy ban has been under discussion in Laos since last February.
Reuters (07/06/2017)