Introducing Our Community Members Stories Series

At inroads, we are proud to nurture movement leaders and grassroots organizations across the globe who are at the forefront of advancing abortion justice. This blog series highlights stories from our community members, showcasing the collective power of their work and the impact of the inroads community. 

Through these testimonies, we aim to amplify their leadership and highlight the importance of resourcing community building & grassroots movements and the critical role they play in advancing reproductive justice.

Tamtang: Shifting Abortion Narratives & Expanding Access in Thailand

For years, abortion stigma in Thailand remained unchallenged, and access to safe abortion remained an issue hidden beneath layers of silence. While feminist organizations worked on issues like gender-based violence and HIV, abortion was rarely discussed – until Tamtang stepped in.

Tamtang. Picture taken by Safe Abortion Action Fund.

Tamtang first began as a blog, founded by Chompoo, a Thai feminist activist, after her own abortion experience. Back then, when news about abortions emerged, Thai media too often sensationalized the stories without including the voices or experiences of the people who had abortions.

“In the media coverage, police, academics, and religious leaders were given a voice, but not the people who had abortions. I started my blog to change that, to put our voices into the conversation.” 

Through the blog, which soon became a website, Chompoo created a space where Thai women and people could share their abortion stories and access accurate information about safe abortion care within the country. This eventually turned into the organization Tamtang, which marked the start of years of transformative work to expand safe and stigma-free access to abortion care.

The Resources that Strengthen Reproductive Justice Work

For years, Tamtang operated without funding, providing crucial information to safe abortion across Thailand. Their first grant came from inroads in 2016.

“Before inroads, we had no funding for years. inroads was the first to trust us with flexible funding, allowing us to try things we weren’t even sure we could do.”

With funding from inroads and the network’s support, Tamtang developed Thailand’s first-ever abortion rights training for NGOs, in response to the lack of any existing manuals or structured guidance.

For Tamtang, inroads has been more than a funder – we have been a space of trust, innovation, and collective care.

“No other funders support cultural activism around abortion stigma the way inroads does. Music, poetry, art – they are all essential for shifting narratives, and inroads was brave enough to invest in them.”

With the funding of a second inroads grant, they were able to experiment with social media outreach methods through TikTok, to fight abortion stigma and further engage young people in Thailand.

“Now, twenty percent of the people who reach out to us for abortion support come from TikTok. It has become our most successful intake channel.”

These successes gave Tamtang the additional support they needed to further strengthen and consolidate their organization’s mission and growth, leading to additional funding and support from other organizations and funders, increasing the organization’s visibility and stability to continue their vital work. 

Today, they are funded through multiple global sources and have gained international recognition multiple times over for their essential work in Thailand.

The Power of Network Sharing and Community Spaces

Beyond funding, Tamtang emphasized that inroads provided something just as crucial as financial resources – we also serve as a global community of solidarity. 

Through inroads gatherings and community spaces, Tamtang found connection, support, and new ways to understand and tackle stigma. 

“One thing that stands out is learning about the Theory of Change for stigma – the way you break stigma transformation down into personal, community, media, and institutional levels. I think this framework is incredibly useful. I still use it today to explain how different layers of work connect and impact each other. It helps clarify the complexity of abortion stigma and how we can address it.”

Beyond theoretical frameworks for stigma and abortion stigma, Tamtang also found a fresh approach in the inroads’ approach to celebrating and creating openly and freely around abortion experiences – including using community spaces and art for narrative change.

“Another thing that impressed me is how inroads takes an innovative approach to fighting stigma. You don’t just use traditional methods; you incorporate art, poetry, and cultural activism. I remember attending a poetry session, and it really showed me the power of using creativity to shift narratives. It’s not just about telling people what’s right; it’s about changing culture and emotions through different forms of expression. That’s something unique and important.”

Image: Noom, one of the main members of Tamtang. Picture taken by Safe Abortion Action Fund.

“Something that surprised me about inroads was how it highlighted the reality of abortion stigma, even in countries where abortion is legal. Before inroads, I assumed stigma was mainly an issue in places where abortion was criminalized. But through inroads, I learned that stigma persists everywhere, even where legal protections exist. That realization changed how I think about abortion justice.”

Gatherings at inroads remain a core part of our collective and community work – understanding the importance of centering solidarity, power, and togetherness to refresh and renew the fight for reproductive justice and abortion abortion access for all. Tamtang experienced this firsthand at global and regional inroads gatherings, where community transcends borders and languages, to form powerful connections that inspire reflection and ritual.

“At the inroads gathering in Mombasa, I truly felt the power of community. When you work on safe abortion in your country, it can feel isolating—not many people understand you, and sometimes you feel alone. But at the gathering, I met so many friends and allies who are facing the same struggles. It felt like a safe space, a warm and inspiring environment where I could share and learn.”

“Even though English isn’t my first language, inroads made it easier for me to connect. I met people from the ASEAN region, and because we share cultural similarities, we quickly became close. That support gave me confidence, not just in my English, but in my ability to exchange experiences and advocate for abortion rights.”

“I will never forget Valentine’s Day in 2019. It was the last day of the inroads gathering, and I read the news that a young student in Thailand had died from an unsafe abortion. That moment was heartbreaking. But being surrounded by inroads members, we immediately held a ceremony to honor her. That experience deeply impacted me – it reinforced why this work is so important.”

Nurturing the bonds of international solidarity was critical in advocating for Thailand’s Constitutional Court to rule Section 301 unconstitutional, a major step toward abortion law reform within the country. With unwavering support from inroads members, Tamtang launched a global petition to push for further legal and cultural change. 

“When we were fighting to overturn Section 301, we mobilized international support through inroads members. That solidarity gave us strength.”

In 2021, Tamtang played a key role in advocating for and achieving the expanded legalization of abortion access in Thailand. However, affordable, safe, and accessible services remain limited and highly stigmatized, even in Bangkok, leaving many abortion seekers reliant on the support of Tamtang and other grassroots collectives that have now grown.

Image: Chompoo, founder of Tamtang. Picture taken by Safe Abortion Action Fund.

Tamtang’s Impact on Abortion Access in Thailand

Today, Tamtang remains a vital and trusted source of information and support for people seeking safe abortions in Thailand, as well as a powerhouse for abortion advocacy, research, partnership, and beyond.

“We are one of the only abortion support networks in Thailand. People come to us for information, counseling, and connection to services. Without this work, many would be left in the dark.”

Their online campaigns continue to reach thousands of people across the country and region, powerfully breaking taboos and making accurate information on abortion accessible in a country where religious and cultural stigma remains pervasive. 

Their trainings for NGOs are also shifting conversations about abortion, ensuring that more civil society organizations understand and actively support reproductive rights within their areas of engagement. Through all of this, Tamtang continues to actively build regional solidarity, connecting abortion activists across Southeast Asia.

We are incredibly proud to have Tamtang’s wisdom and brilliance in the inroads community and to continue supporting their transformative work. Their growth, resilience, and boundary-breaking advocacy are a testament to the past 10 years that inroads and Tamtang have walked together, in solidarity and community towards ensuring reproductive justice for all.

👉 Learn more about their work here