ASAWAKITTIPORN 1

Wassa Khing Asawakittiporn

Mr. Abel Cadias
English 10 / 10:03
May 16, 2017

Should Active Euthanasia be Legalised in Thailand?

Active euthanasia should be legalized in Thailand because it stops patients from

suffering, ends life peacefully and reduces medical cost. The purpose of the research report is to

argue and show that active euthanasia should be legalized in Thailand. The importance of this

research report is to persuade government and people to consider the benefits of active

euthanasia. The pieces of information found in this research are based on nine sources. First, the

article from British Broadcasting Corporation Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide gives

an introduction and basic concept of euthanasia or physician assisted suicide. Second, Doyal L.

in their article The psychological functions of music listening points out why active euthanasia

and physician assisted suicide should be legalised. Third, the article entitled Top 10 Pros and

Cons of euthanasia written by Marker R. J. shows the advantages and disadvantages of

euthanasia. Fourth, the article by Rachels J. entitled Active and Passive Euthanasia states the

differences between active and passive euthanasia. Fifth, the article entitled The right to die:

Benefits of physician-assisted suicide by Asbury K. explains how patients who suffer can

benefit from assisted euthanasia. Sixth, the article from Thailand Law Euthanasia in Thailand

provides an information and current state of legality of euthanasia in Thailand. Seventh, Brain S.

in his article Euthanasia Statistics provides recent global statistic of assisted euthanasia. Lastly,

Smith W. J. in his article Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide writes about of morality euthanasia

and its role in medical advance.

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Types of Euthanasia

Euthanasia is well known as the termination of an ailing patients life who has been

suffering from an incurable disease or severe sickness in order to relieve them of their pain. The

term euthanasia is derived from the word Euthanatos in Greek meaning good death (BBC,

2014). In some cases, euthanasia is mostly undergone by the patients demand, but there are

times when family or relatives need to carry out a decision because the patient is not in the

condition to do so, or sometimes the decisions are even made by the court. The decision can

legally be approved with three stated conditions: the person seeking death (1) is incurably ill, (2)

is in intolerable agony, and (3) voluntarily request to be killed in order to escape great trauma.

Euthanasia can be generally classified into two types, passive and active euthanasia. Passive

euthanasia is an act that allows patients to end their life or when patients death is brought about

by an omission of doctors by stopping doing medical practice that keeps the patient alive. In

contrast, active euthanasia is an act when medical professionals deliberately and intentionally

cause a patients death such as by consuming an overdose of painkillers (Smith W., 2015).

Moreover, it is stated that euthanasia cases whether it is active or passive, can further be labeled

into two categories, which are voluntary, and non-voluntary. Voluntary euthanasia generally

refers to a case when a person privily makes a request to end his/her life in doctors hand and

succeeds to do so. On the other hand, non-voluntary is another kind of euthanasia when a

patients is unconscious, not mentally or physically capable, or not in the condition to make any

decision. Therefore, family or relatives has to settle on a proper decision on their behalf for

patients sake in the eyes of the law.

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Morality and Euthanasia

Active and passive euthanasia have always been controversial and disputed in moral

term. They have crossed against not only ethics and morality but also law in many countries

including Thailand. It has been argued and discussed whether active or passive is more ethical.

Some doctors and most philosophers accepted active euthanasia in more moral way of euthanasia

as the act is carried out faster, cleaner and less torturing for patients. On the contrary, some

mentioned that passive euthanasia is more moral as it is practically omitting to carry out an

action instead of the act of killing. Nevertheless, euthanasia is found to be legitimate in many

countries especially passive euthanasia as an medical suicide such as Belgium, Netherlands,

Luxembourg, Ireland, Colombia, Mexico and Columbia (Health Guide Centre., 2015). In history,

euthanasia has never really been discussed or taken any action on before. Until the case of Bob

Hawke with his radical stomach cancer, he had difficulty struggling with his disease for a long

time. After three years of torment, it got the best of him, the treatment didnt work out as

expected. During the last month of him, he started to vomit blood, huge loss of body weight, was

not in the condition to walk and experience a level of suffering he never did before. He finally

made a decision to leave the hospital to spend his last moment of his life at home with his family.

Despite huge amount of medication he consumed, the grave unbearable pain continued to suffer

him. So he and his wife had stocked a lethal dose of painkillers and loaded gun by his bed as

backup precautions. Eventually his torment was becoming intolerable. He made his final

decision to stop the pain by ending his life, but it was impractical for Bob to even take drug by

himself or pick up the gun. He asked for a assist from his wife, family members and friends.
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While sympathetic to his struggle, they all turned him down. Tragically, he suffered to his death

eventually (James F., 2007).

The Advantages

If euthanasia practice is performed appropriately and wisely, it can become advantageous

option for terminal diseased patients. Instead of tremendous suffering to death, euthanasia can act

as the termination of all incurable degenerative illness with patients will. For example, a

patients death is confirmed to be occurred in two weeks whilst the patient is experiencing a

severe degree of agony and unconsciously brain-dead, considering all condition and factors, it

has come to the conclusion that euthanasia provides the best solution to this case, as it ends ones

death peacefully, quick, and with dignity (Marker R., 2010). Furthermore, euthanasia can also

decrease the overall medical charge, and also for the future. Additionally, some medical facilities

and treatment are limited, and people with curable disease would lose a valuable opportunity to

get speedy access to the significant resources. In the meantime, medical facility and resources are

used up only to serves the purpose of keeping the untreatable ailing patients alive and it might

even be without ones willing. Allowing ones request to terminate the brutal pain and their life

would not only serve their demand, but also to reduce medical cost and spare the essential

material and medical treatment for curable.

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The Disadvantages

On the contrary, even though euthanasia practices have opened up plenty paths and new

terminal solution in medical field, it also comes with the loopholes. Since its foundation in 1995,

Dr. Pieter Admiraal stated that every medical professional who has come to the conclusion to

assist in terminate patients life, must be acquainted that the unexpected incident or consequence

can occur. Owing to this fact, one must always be ready to proceed the practice to an active

euthanasia, meaning an overdose of medication as lethal injection must always be prepared in the

process (Pieter A., 1995) Despite all the statement, two studies of euthanasia cases in the

Netherland conducted in 1990 to 1996 in total of 649 cases revealed the surprising number of

150 cases found to be experiencing difficulty toward the completion. Approximately 23 percent

of euthanized patients were struggling with the longer time of death than expected, or

miscarriage which caused ones to be in coma or greater pain (New Journal of Medicine, 1997).

In addition, the legalization of euthanasia in Washington DC, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington

in United States in 1906 had opened up an loopholes which can lead to the misunderstanding and

tragic accident (Angela Chen, 2016). For example, in 1994, Jeannette Hall at age of 55 was

diagnosed with inoperable and terminal colon cancer, and was given six months more to live.

She was approved to be actively euthanized by her doctor through Oregons Death With Dignity

law. Unexpectedly, Dr.Kenneth Stevens who worked at Oregon Health and Sciences University

specializing in radiation medicine had come to her in time to stop her from the activation of

misunderstanding euthanasia. Dr. Steven had come up with the contrasting diagnosis, he strongly

believed that she could still be cured of cancer with the proper treatment of chemotherapy and

radiation and he was right. She spent many years trying and struggling with chemotherapy and
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radiation treatment. Eventually at the age of 70, she was cured of cancer and it had been

permanently remedied.

Conclusion

The purpose of this research report was to argue and show that active euthanasia should

be legitimated in Thailand. Based on research articles, the author concluded that active

euthanasia with appropriate performance can lead and open up new beneficial medical advances

which act as the mercy termination for incurable disease patients. On the contrary, it also

provided some disadvantageous loopholes. Somehow, the author still undoubtedly held the belief

of legalization of the euthanasia. Consequently, this research report highly recommends further

research on the legitimation of active euthanasia.

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References
Asbury K. (2015, Sep 27). The right to die: Benefits of physician-assisted suicide. Retrieved
March 27, 2017, from http://www.thedaonline.com/opinion/article_9576f9ee-658c-11e5

Attitudes toward Euthanasia and Related Issues among Physicians and Patients in a Multi-
cultural Society. (2014, July 3). Retrived March 28, 2017, from https://www.ncb
i.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4209678/

BBC. (2014). Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/

Brain S. (2016, October 22). Euthanasia Statistics. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://
www.newhealthguide.org/Where-Is-Euthanasia-Legal.html

Doyal L. (2001, Nov 10). Why active euthanasia and physician assisted suicide should be
legalised. Retrived March 28, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC1121585/

Euthanasia in Thailand, H. H. (2013, June 16). Retrieved March 27, 2017, from https://
www.thailandlaw.org/euthanasia-in-thailand.html

Marker R. J. (2010, June). Top 10 Pros and Cons of euthanasia. Retrieved March 27, 2017, from
http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000126

Rachels J. (N.D.) Active and Passive Euthanasia. Retrieved March 27, 2017, from http://
www2.sunysuffolk.edu/pecorip/SCCCWEB/ETEXTS/DeathandDying_TEXT/
Rachels_Active_Passive.htm

Smith W. J. (2017, March 27). Ethicality of E\euthanasia And Assisted Suicide. Retrieved March
29, 2017, from http://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/divisions-diagnostics-and-
procedures/medicine/euthanasia