Thais lash back after rights bodies call execution shameful

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

A prison official keeps watch over Amnesty International Thailand activists and volunteers holding placards as they gather to call for an end to executions in Thailand, outside the Bang Kwang Central Prison in Nonthaburi province yesterday.

 

THAILAND’S FIRST execution in nine years has sparked public debate on the death penalty, which retains strong support among most Thais despite concerns raised by academics and activists about human rights violations and its effectiveness as a deterrent.

 

The question of whether Thailand should abolish the severe punishment for good erupted once again yesterday, after the Corrections Department on Monday executed a convict for the first time since 2009. Human rights organisations harshly condemned Thailand’s resumption of executions, while others leapt to the defence of the authorities, insisting the punishment helped prevent serious crimes.

 

 

Thirasak, a 26-year-old convicted of premeditated murder, was the first prisoner to be killed by lethal injection since August 24, 2009.

 

The announcement of his execution prompted four prominent rights defenders – including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, International Federation for Human Rights, and Cross Culture Foundation – to release statements condemning judicial killing and urging the Thai government to respect the human rights principles and abolish the death sentence by law.

 

 

Amnesty International was the first to come out in protest, stressing that Thailand had shamefully resumed executions just one year short of the 10-year period that confers de facto abolition of the death penalty on a country.

 

 

Amnesty’s Thailand Campaigner Katherine Gerson said that the execution represented a major setback in the country’s effort towards abolition of capital punishment and placed a dark stain on its human rights record.

 

“This is a deplorable violation of the right to life. Thailand is shockingly reneging on its own commitment to move towards abolition of the death penalty and the protection of the right to life, and is also putting itself out of step with the current global shift away from capital punishment,” Gerson said.

 

“The Thai government must immediately halt any plans to carry out further executions and immediately establish a moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty as a first step towards its abolition.”

 

 

According to the third national human rights master plan on the justice system for 2014 to 2018, Thailand has a road map to suspend all executions in the country by 2014, amend the Criminal Code to legally abolish the death penalty by 2017, and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR by this year.

 

Nevertheless many Thai people think otherwise, judging by the comment section of Amnesty International Thailand’s Facebook page. It was bombarded with comments from Thai netizens showing their support for retaining death as a penalty and rebuking the human rights defenders for protecting “evil criminals”.

 

 

A poll created by celebrated Thai Facebook fanpage “Drama Addict” also showed mass public support for the execution of criminals, with 96 per cent of 78,000 online voters approving the continuous enforcement of death sentences.

 

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha added his voice to support of the death penalty, claiming it was essential to keeping law and order, and also that the majority of Thais agree with the punishment.

 

Nevertheless, Pol Lt-Colonel Jomdej Trimek, a lecturer at Rangsit University’s Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice Administration, cautioned that despite the public satisfaction brought by severe and swift punishment, the death penalty also had adverse side effects.

 

“What can we do if later we find out that an executed prisoner was innocent after all. The justice system can be in error,” Jomdej pointed out.

 

“Moreover, crimes tend to be more severe and even more lethal if we punish criminals with death sentences, since that punishment boosts motivation to kill victims to conceal their crimes.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348143

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-20

This time Amnesty is wrong. On the other hand, it´s not the first time.

Too late, the guy's dead. Amnesty International blindsided. Ha!

Well, you get what you vote for ?

shame they cant kick up as much fuss about their driving or govt

If a society wants to have Capital Punishment, it is their right.

 

However, if you want to have Capital Punishment, you need to have an honest, effective police force, an honest, effective legal bureaucracy and an honest, effective Judiciary.

 

Does Thailand have an honest and effective police force? No.

Does Thailand have an honest and effective legal bureaucracy? No.

Does Thailand have an honest and effective Judiciary? No.

 

Under these circumstances, utilizing Capital Punishment is pure madness.

 

How about executing few of those pesky Amnesty International people for a change? it'll interesting to see how hard they would prosts than...

Regardless of my personal beliefs on the death penalty I’m not entirely sure how it fits into the Buddhist religion (although I do understand that Thai Buddhism is not necessarily the same as Buddhism)

Thailand. What a joke. They'll execute a convict but they won't euthanize a sick, injured animal.

9 minutes ago, TumblinDice said:

Thailand. What a joke. They'll execute a convict but they won't euthanize a sick, injured animal.

Yep, just about as dumb as dumb can be.

What about the Burmese pair from the Kho Tao case? If you’re someone who strongly believes in capital punishment, you should be calling for their execution. That case was truly horrific. 

 

Or, someone knows something the public (officially) doesn’t and that idea will never be entertained. 

Thailand. What a joke. They'll execute a convict but they won't euthanize a sick, injured animal.

Yes they will.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 a 'deterrent' video, that shows the jab jab result of murder guilt (even a faked one) might help scare off the next perp

 

 

“This is a deplorable violation of the right to life. What about the victims they had no rights or what ?

There can be no doubt whats so ever on giving some one the needle,

if there is doubt, then never be released should be the sentence,

some people are just evil, and as a society we need to be free of such burdens and show those who cross the law line  and take life will face very hard consequences,

(as an example) the man who cut up his friends body for his money (needle him)

the axe ex-husband just lately needle him,  

where it is contentious from mitigating circumstances the needle can not be used, 

some reasons, being limited defence abillity 

doubt over evidence , inconsistent eye witness, etc,

there would be many reasons not to needle, far more than to needle,  

but clearly if a doubt is present no death sentence should happen,

I believe certain offenders do deserve to  forefit their right to live as the two above mentioned.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

others leapt to the defence of the authorities, insisting the punishment helped prevent serious crimes.

No it doesn't.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Amnesty International was the first to come out in protest, stressing that Thailand had shamefully resumed executions just one year short of the 10-year period that confers de facto abolition of the death penalty on a country.

This I reckon is why they did it. Probably picked a number out of a hat.

Doesn't matter what country or how it's carried out it is a barbaric practice.

"Execute justice not people" in this case justice HAS been executed

27 minutes ago, tracker1 said:

“This is a deplorable violation of the right to life. What about the victims they had no rights or what ?

First none of these people are victims. They all were aware of the repercussions for their act and chose to do it anyway.

 

This site practices the death penalty or capital punishment  on a daily basis. Read the comments about pedo and Serious drug offenses.

 

UNHCR condemns Thailand for 1 death but has countries that have mass genocide on it. 

 

THE US just pulled out of it due to the corruption in the UN

The death penalty should be compulsory for corrupt officials stealing from the needy.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

others leapt to the defence of the authorities, insisting the punishment helped prevent serious crimes.

 

No it doesn’t. 

There are a few million scumbags in the world. Given that the world is overpopulated every country should have the death penalty for pedos and murderers.

 

There is no value in keeping these scumbags alive.

Thai law no fair and good.

Crazy kill people now- police not honest.

The notion that the death penalty is a violation of human rights, what about locking some poor bastard up in a THAI prison for 20 years? 

4 hours ago, Get Real said:

This time Amnesty is wrong. On the other hand, it´s not the first time.

NO

The system is wrong.........still middelage practis

56 minutes ago, Justfine said:

There are a few million scumbags in the world. Given that the world is overpopulated every country should have the death penalty for pedos and murderers.

 

There is no value in keeping these scumbags alive.

Abortion based on gen.........and the problem is solved

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

If a society wants to have Capital Punishment, it is their right.

 

However, if you want to have Capital Punishment, you need to have an honest, effective police force, an honest, effective legal bureaucracy and an honest, effective Judiciary.

 

Does Thailand have an honest and effective police force? No.

Does Thailand have an honest and effective legal bureaucracy? No.

Does Thailand have an honest and effective Judiciary? No.

 

Under these circumstances, utilizing Capital Punishment is pure madness.

 

 

Let me tell you that this is your most difficult post to disagree with.
....no offence about your previous posts 

I can see this Fatal injection being abused more often in the future

Only the most backwards of countries have the death penalty. Just look at the top five countries that carry out the most executions and they mostly prove my point. 

I am against the death penalty for every crime other than noisy exhaust pipes. It is wrong. Furthermore, 'society' knows it is wrong too - why else would they devise ever 'cleaner' methods of execution when the condemned could be hung, drawn and quartered or bludgeoned to death?

If a country decides to grant itself the power of life or death then it should be ready to get its hands dirty, not hide behind faux 'medical' procedures.

36 minutes ago, Athens said:

NO

The system is wrong.........still middelage practis

Yep , you are perfectly right! They shouldn´t had left the poor man suffering for 6 years, and proceeded with ending his life directly after his sentence.