Thailand’s Overcrowded Prisons Raise Alarm Bells

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Thailand’s Overcrowded Prisons Raise Alarm Bells

Thailand’s prisons are dangerously overcrowded, operating at 12% beyond capacity, with 73% of inmates jailed for drug offences despite a decline in convictions. A 2024 report by FIDH and the Union for Civil Liberty highlights stalled reforms and harsher drug laws that may worsen the crisis. UN bodies have criticised the system, urging alternatives to incarceration. Conditions inside are dire, marked by cramped cells, poor healthcare, and inequality. The death of activist Netiporn Sanesangkhom in custody adds urgency to calls for reform, as Thailand faces growing pressure to align its prison system with global human rights standards.