Thailand Considers Releasing 50,000 Inmates As Covid Hits Prisons

[webfact]

Photographer: Jack Taylor/AFP

 

 

Prognosis

By Randy Thanthong-Knight

 

● Prison clusters emerge as challenge to containing outbreak

● Thai Covid cases quadruple since third wave began in April

 

Thailand, already facing its worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic, is considering cutting its prison population by as much as 16% to counter the rapid spread of infections among inmates and workers in overcrowded facilities.

 

More than 10,000 new Covid-19 cases have been reported in about a dozen densely-packed Thai prisons. These latest clusters have pushed the country’s daily case count to record highs twice in the past week, including on Monday when more than two-thirds of the 9,635 infections were reported in prisons, official data showed.

 

The outbreak in the correctional system reflects conditions in many parts of metropolitan Bangkok, where infections have spread quickly in dense slums, crowded construction sites and even a government-housing complex. The slow rate of vaccinations has added to the challenge facing authorities.

 

Full story: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-18/thailand-mulls-release-of-50-000-inmates-as-covid-hits-prisons

 

-- © Copyright Bloomberg 2021-05-19

 

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[DrJack54]

Remember the cruise liners. 

Difficult situation.

[jacko45k]

That sounds as clever a letting the whole population travel wherever they please for Songkran...... 

[ezzra]

What a bunch of bumbling idiots those prison authorities people, releasing 50 thousands criminals on the public because they were too  incompetent to mange the virus in the prison system...

[ukrules]

26 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

That sounds as clever a letting the whole population travel wherever they please for Songkran...... 

Oh yeah, 50k potentially infected pre-symptomatic prisoners being sent all over the country will really help to do one thing - increase the COVID numbers.

 

Unless of course they're all isolation quarantined on the way out which is how a thinking man would implement such a mass release....what's the odds of that happening though?

[Swiss1960]

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Oh yeah, 50k potentially infected pre-symptomatic prisoners being sent all over the country will really help to do one thing - increase the COVID numbers.

 

Unless of course they're all isolation quarantined on the way out which is how a thinking man would implement such a mass release....what's the odds of that happening though?

AND all 50'000 will be thoroughly scanned to ensure that they don't relapse once thrown out of the prison with no preparation...

[NCC1701A]

release the murderers first. 

 

that will help with the pandemic. 

[mikebell]

I thought the plan was to kill off a goodly chunk of the prison population to save on costs?

 I now see this as a better plan that kills off lots of the population at large to save on paying Government financial aid to them.

[Rampant Rabbit]

6 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

release the murderers first. 

 

that will help with the pandemic. 

Surely  female murderers first?

[GeorgeEboy]

????

[fangless]

31 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Surely  female murderers first?

Why kill off the females first?  That would leave less for us rampant males!

 

 

[steven100]

Thailand Considers Releasing 50,000 Inmates   ......

 

Yeah,  that'll work.  

[Excel]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

I thought the plan was to kill off a goodly chunk of the prison population to save on costs?

 I now see this as a better plan that kills off lots of the population at large to save on paying Government financial aid to them.

Well it looks like they have upped their ambitions and want to infect the serfs quicker, and as it turned out, sending the Songkran spreaders out did not have the desired effect. Now 50,000 will be released to infect their friends and families. After that what then ?

[Clarkey611]

It will certainly keep the students and other protesters off the streets, which appears to be what they want!

[nodomino]

The Double Edged Sword conundrum. Though one side seems more dangerous than the other. 
when there is a governmental dilemma.....best way is .............

Don't Do it!

[Mr Meeseeks]

This suggestion is up there with one of the most stupid things I have ever come across in Thailand, and that is saying something. 

[Brierley]

I imagine it serves other purpose including reducing overcrowding and stress on the budgets

[chalawaan]

Considering the reality that 80% of the prison population are there for non-violent drug use -not dealing just use- then maybe banging people up for using substances that are scientifically proven to be less dangerous than alcohol, and yes, even *that* one is less dangerous than alcohol, if supplied and regulated like alcohol, because the Science and the Lancet say so; then the entire country would be a lot happier and healthier.

 

If 80% of the prison population are drug users, then the message is:

 

1. A lot of people like illicit drugs.

2. Jail doesnt seem to deter them much!

3. Stupid and inhumane laws = jail overcrowding that is now coming back to bite them on that part of their anatomy where the "authorities" seem to keep their brains.

[bluesofa]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand Considers Releasing 50,000 Inmates As Covid Hits Prisons

Looks like the population control master plan of the police not enforcing road rules isn't enough.

Now another brainwave is planned, by adding a further-to-be-unenforced group.

[vandeventer]

Yes, send them all to Phuket as they have all the vaccines.

[Phuketboy]

One would have thought by keeping them locked up it would be better, containing those infected where they are.  Think of it as a long term quarantine.

[Joseph98765]

Great! now I have to keep eyes on my helmet every time I park the bike....

 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, chalawaan said:

Considering the reality that 80% of the prison population are there for non-violent drug use -not dealing just use- then maybe banging people up for using substances that are scientifically proven to be less dangerous than alcohol, and yes, even *that* one is less dangerous than alcohol, if supplied and regulated like alcohol, because the Science and the Lancet say so; then the entire country would be a lot happier and healthier.

 

If 80% of the prison population are drug users, then the message is:

 

1. A lot of people like illicit drugs.

2. Jail doesnt seem to deter them much!

3. Stupid and inhumane laws = jail overcrowding that is now coming back to bite them on that part of their anatomy where the "authorities" seem to keep their brains.

 

Totally agree.....   Ensure those to be released are tested for Covid-19 (RT PCR Test), vaccinate them, quarantine them, then release them.

 

At the same time, ensure fast track vaccination of all prisoners in all prisons - this should be achieved quite easily if there is sufficient volume of vaccine.

 

Fast track vaccinations of all those living in high population density areas i.e. the slums, which they are doing, but more needs to be done, faster. 

 

Fast track vaccinations at all areas where immigrant labourers work and live, as they also tend to live in high population density accommodation.

 

 

 

 

 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

What a bunch of bumbling idiots those prison authorities people, releasing 50 thousands criminals on the public because they were too  incompetent to mange the virus in the prison system...

With no employment outside... what could possibly go wrong.

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

What a bunch of bumbling idiots those prison authorities people, releasing 50 thousands criminals on the public because they were too  incompetent to mange the virus in the prison system...

With no employment outside... what could possibly go wrong.

 

As Chalawaan wrote - a significant proportion of ‘inmates’ are those who would not even be charged with a minor offence in many our our home countries, yet Thailand makes ‘criminals’ of those caught with minor amounts of recreational substances. 

 

A lot of the people in Thai prisons really should not be there in the first place. 

 

 

Meanwhile, those who have committed violent crimes should not be presented with any opportunities for early release. 

[thaichina]

4 hours ago, chalawaan said:

Considering the reality that 80% of the prison population are there for non-violent drug use -not dealing just use- then maybe banging people up for using substances that are scientifically proven to be less dangerous than alcohol, and yes, even *that* one is less dangerous than alcohol, if supplied and regulated like alcohol, because the Science and the Lancet say so; then the entire country would be a lot happier and healthier.

 

If 80% of the prison population are drug users, then the message is:

 

1. A lot of people like illicit drugs.

2. Jail doesnt seem to deter them much!

3. Stupid and inhumane laws = jail overcrowding that is now coming back to bite them on that part of their anatomy where the "authorities" seem to keep their brains.

I m surprised to see such a good post here, I agree 100% with you, stupid drug laws are the cause of mass incarceration of non violent drug offenders, they should not be there at the first place, and yes alcohol and tobacco are some of the most dangerous drugs 

 

https://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/coverage-of-our-2019-report-in-the-economist-what-is-the-most-dangerous-drug

 

I hope it s the first step for a more sensible policy based on science, not perception.

[unblocktheplanet]

Finally! Compassionate release for nonviolent offenders serving draconian sentences. Proper quarantine MUST be observed on release.

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Totally agree.....   Ensure those to be released are tested for Covid-19 (RT PCR Test), vaccinate them, quarantine them, then release them.

 

At the same time, ensure fast track vaccination of all prisoners in all prisons - this should be achieved quite easily if there is sufficient volume of vaccine.

 

Fast track vaccinations of all those living in high population density areas i.e. the slums, which they are doing, but more needs to be done, faster. 

 

Fast track vaccinations at all areas where immigrant labourers work and live, as they also tend to live in high population density accommodation.

 

 

 

 

 

All of which make sense.

 

All of which requires a sufficient supply of vaccines.

 

There isn't a sufficient supply of vaccines.

 

[newnative]

Start with all the protesters and the Future Forward leader. 

[AlfHuy]

Give it a go.

Send them all to Phuket.

They can rehearse for the "Great July Opening concert".