“No poor people in jail” campaign reaches the justice reform committee

By The Nation

 

Prof. Prinya.

 

Thammasat University law professor Prinya Thaewanarumitkul and his alliance on Wednesday submitted 30,000 signatures to the justice reform committee in support of the “No poor people in jail” campaign.

 

Prof Prinya said every charter guarantees the rights of defendants until their case is final. For that reason, defendants – especially the poor – should be free until the verdict is delivered.

 

At present, the freedom of defendants is guaranteed by bail placement, but many poor people don’t have the money to post bail and as such are jailed while their cases proceed.

 

As many as 66,000 people are in jail because they cannot post bail, Prof Prinya noted. 

 

Prof Prinya said the bail system could increase injustice. Also, the posting of bail does not guarantee that those defendants would stay in the country to fight their cases.

 

Campaigners propose that a proper assessment of a defendant’s flight risk be carried out instead of the current system.

 

Pol Lt-General Amnuay Nim-mano, of the reform committee, said the proposal was in line with the committee’s direction on the issue of bail lodgement.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30332265

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-22

I have been a prison visitor for many years and have seen some crazy cases where people have been incarcerated over really petty rubbish. I will never forget something a little wrinkled old Thai lady told me once outside Nong Plalai prison, Pattaya. She told me, "There are not guilty people in this prison, there are poor people in there." Anyone with money always got bail, so truer words never spoken. It is way beyond time to sort out the antiquated and totally unfair, bail system currently in place, so this proposal definitely gets my vote.

It is an issue of equal rights; being poor is not a crime and should not be treated as one.

 

49 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Campaigners propose that a proper assessment of a defendant’s flight risk be carried out instead of the current system.

 

I am racking my brain to remember where I saw a great, recent article on this. However, I read recently that this system of risk assessment is growing in popularity in North America as an alternative to bail. And, it actually saves the state money. I will try to find the article...

 

Gets my vote as well...

 

Great campaign, and keep up the good work!

 

PS this video is 17:30 minutes, but is both funny and informative. Cheers

 

 

Edited November 22, 20178 yr by Samui Bodoh

“No poor people in jail” campaign reaches the justice reform committee"

 

I totally agree, prison is where the rich offenders should be allowed to stay.And there are many.

Discrimination against rich people who should also be able to eat fish head soup. 

“No poor people in jail” campaign reaches the justice reform committee"

 

I totally agree, prison is where the rich offenders should be allowed to stay.And there are many.

Discrimination against rich people who should also be able to eat fish head soup. 

Bail should be proportional, calculating flight risk and wealth and the crime. Murderers on bail ?

 

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Reality is only poor people in jail. The rich can murder and it doesn't matter because they can pay the corrupt police and corrupt judiciary to keep them out. The 'justice' system in this county is totally f.......u......c......k......e.......d.

Edited November 22, 20178 yr by dinsdale

12 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I have been a prison visitor for many years and have seen some crazy cases where people have been incarcerated over really petty rubbish. I will never forget something a little wrinkled old Thai lady told me once outside Nong Plalai prison, Pattaya. She told me, "There are not guilty people in this prison, there are poor people in there." Anyone with money always got bail, so truer words never spoken. It is way beyond time to sort out the antiquated and totally unfair, bail system currently in place, so this proposal definitely gets my vote.

Try this :- "If you can't do the time don't do the crime "

10 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Try this :- "If you can't do the time don't do the crime "

Or “if you’ve got the money, you can commit a crime and not have to worry”

10 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Reality is only poor people in jail. The rich can murder and it doesn't matter because they can pay the corrupt police and corrupt judiciary to keep them out. The 'justice' system in this county is totally f.......u......c......k......e.......d.

Yep no rich people in jail here They pay they bail money and disappear overseas 

10 hours ago, robblok said:

Bail should be proportional, calculating flight risk and wealth and the crime. Murderers on bail ?

 

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Dont matter if you are death row here If you got money and look great as Thai doctor did you will get Bail Unheard of in any country in the world some one on death row gets bail  

I don't even know where to begin. I have been married to a "poor" farm girl for ten years. I personally have never been shaken down or mistreated by the police in our small town, but since our marriage, it has been one incident after another with both boys being arrested for possession of Yaba. I cant prove it was a set up but I strongly suspect so since their sentences have been very light compared to what I have seen and read about other Thais arrested for Yaba possession. I have lost count of the thousands of baht I have had extorted from me with the promise of a lighter sentence for the boys. I never had a clue about lawyers representing them except some advice from bar stool lawyers saying that hiring a lawyer was just the same as pouring money down the toilet. Two months ago, my Thai wife was arrested for possession of Yaba.  I will never believe it was anything but a set up but now she is in prison for two years and I was not contacted by anyone other than a friend, for almost 6 weeks. I was told she had already been tried and found guilty and that it was not even possible to buy her way out of prison. I am in America and cant come to Thailand for another year or more. Even if I did come back right away, what good would it do for my wife? I am deeply troubled and depressed and have no clue what, if anything, can be done to get my wife an early release. She will never leave Thailand, even knowing how corrupt the entire country has become. Too late I am finding out the Land of Smiles can be anything but that...

There may be a few other problems here:

It is said (by lawyers I know) that most verdicts at the first court are guilty.

 

The poor don't have a chance to post bail because they are poor. They also can not appeal  this first court verdict because of the same reason. (It cost for a lawyer to write an appeal)

 

They get screwed both ways, 

 

Also "Policy Cases" (like human trafficking and drugs!), even with money and an appeal pending, bail may not be given. I believe "policy" cases mean that they are gov't sponsored! 

 

Many Thais and foreigners do not receive justice.