Calls For Abolition Of The Death Penalty

[Jai Dee]

NLA Kotom calls for abolition of death penalty

A representative of the National Human Rights Commission calls on the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to issue the declaration urging the Thai government to express agreement to terminate the death penalty in the United Nations (UN) conference.

National Legislative Assembly (NLA) member Kotom Areeya (โคทม อารียา) together with human rights organization held a press conference to encourage other NLA members to convince the interim government in supporting the abolition of death penalty, the issue of which will be tabled for discussion at the UN meeting.

Mr. Kotom views that such manner of punishment is not likely to lessen illegal activities and crimes while adding that death sentence is not viable in Thailand.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 October 2007

[londonthai]

there is only a very small chance that a military government which came to power by force and not democratic vote will consider anyting near abolishing death penalty.

good to know there are pressure groups doing some work and that some layers are in support - but the whole thai ruling class is based on legal and illegal killings, people being fed to crocodiles dead or alife.

[ClaytonSeymour]

Personally, I strongly support the death penalty & it's not applied often enough; I hate it when some scum bag pleads guilty and avoids it. Thailand should retain it.

Indeed, I would be strongly in favour of it being re-introduced in the UK; the party that offers to restore it, along with corporal punishment & national service would get my vote any day.

Edited October 3, 2007 by ClaytonSeymour

[londonthai]

uk politics is discussed here in --->>> bedlam

bear in mind that thai juristiction system and police procedures are nowhere near the UK or other countries standards and some 10% of convicts are doing their time innocent, often without the right to appeal.

now imagine some 10% of sentenced to death penalty being punished for something they never did.

as to uk political party advocating your politics - there is no any going so blantly back some 50 years in history

[soundman]

now imagine some 10% of sentenced to death penalty being punished for something they never did.

Wrongly convicted - Death penalty or life in prison pretty much amounts to the same thing.....

[ClaytonSeymour]

uk politics is discussed here in --->>> bedlam

bear in mind that thai juristiction system and police procedures are nowhere near the UK or other countries standards and some 10% of convicts are doing their time innocent, often without the right to appeal.

now imagine some 10% of sentenced to death penalty being punished for something they never did.

as to uk political party advocating your politics - there is no any going so blantly back some 50 years in history

Nothing is ever perfect, there's always an error rate that has to be taken into consideration. You should also consider that a percentage of the 10%, are criminals in their own right, just not guilty of the offence for which they are being held; I've no sympathy with those people whatsoever.

Give the UK another 15 years or so, of the breakdown in law & order that prevales now & I think you may be wrong; especially with the corporal punishment & national service side of my politics.

For certain crimes, the death penalty is a valid & just punishment & I praise all countries that have the courage to retain it.

[garro]

Personally, I strongly support the death penalty & it's not applied often enough; I hate it when some scum bag pleads guilty and avoids it. Thailand should retain it.

Indeed, I would be strongly in favour of it being re-introduced in the UK; the party that offers to restore it, along with corporal punishment & national service would get my vote any day.

Why stop at criminals?

Why not execute the insane and handicapped?

When I read a post like this one it makes me shudder.

If the Thai government abolished the death penalty they would go way up in my estimation of them.

It is a shame that a mostly Buddhist country is involved in such barbarism.

[ClaytonSeymour]

Personally, I strongly support the death penalty & it's not applied often enough; I hate it when some scum bag pleads guilty and avoids it. Thailand should retain it.

Indeed, I would be strongly in favour of it being re-introduced in the UK; the party that offers to restore it, along with corporal punishment & national service would get my vote any day.

Why stop at criminals?

Why not execute the insane and handicapped?

When I read a post like this one it makes me shudder.

If the Thai government abolished the death penalty they would go way up in my estimation of them.

It is a shame that a mostly Buddhist country is involved in such barbarism.

The only time when you can safely say a murderer will not murder again is once they are dead. Personally, I feel much better knowing that they are being executed and removed from society permanently.

Many of my friends & colleagues have seen my photos of the executed criminals in the forensic medecine museum; I explain to them that this is the evidence of real justice.

[singa-traz]

You could add this quizz to your tour visit: What are the Top 5 countries where Real Justice is being served?

From Wikipedia:

Executions are known to have been carried out in the following 25 countries in 2006:

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, North Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, the United States of America, Vietnam, Yemen.[7]

In that year also, 91% of all known executions took place in six countries listed below:[8]

Most Executions carried out in 2006

* 1. China (at least 1,010 but sources suggest the real tally is between 7,500 and 8,000)[9]

* 2. Iran (177)

* 3. Pakistan (82)

* 4. Iraq (at least 65)

* 5. Sudan (at least 65)

[stevenjm]

I would not say that its not a deterent - look at the drug dealing situation now in los compared to 2002. Killing the drug dealers was one of Thaksins wiser moves and it sure cleaned things up with the heroin problem.

[Tony Clifton]

How long does someone given a death penalty really suffer?

A few hours or minutes of anguish before facing oblivion?

Then it's a smooth unconscious ride into eternity.

On the other hand, the victim's loved ones will suffer a lifetime.

[Cobalt60]

Never ceases to amaze me how many people lack the imagination to put themselves in the the 'innocent but condemed' position, then not manage to work out that appeals whilst you are alive are so much easier.

Edited October 3, 2007 by Cobalt60

[britmaveric]

Kind of like Japanese death penalty - don't tell you when it will happen. It could be 1 day or years from now.

[pete_r]

The only time when you can safely say a murderer will not murder again is once they are dead. Personally, I feel much better knowing that they are being executed and removed from society permanently.

And when is the time you can be 100% sure that you are not condemning an innocent?

Miscarriage of justice is always a possibility, and one problem with the death penalty is that errors cannot be corrected.

[britmaveric]

Guilty people go free as I am sure innocent are in jail w/death penalty being carried out. The equation balances itself. It may not be fair but this how life works for better or worse.

[mrtoad]

Personally, I strongly support the death penalty & it's not applied often enough; I hate it when some scum bag pleads guilty and avoids it. Thailand should retain it.

Indeed, I would be strongly in favour of it being re-introduced in the UK; the party that offers to restore it, along with corporal punishment & national service would get my vote any day.

Why stop at criminals?

Why not execute the insane and handicapped?

When I read a post like this one it makes me shudder.

If the Thai government abolished the death penalty they would go way up in my estimation of them.

It is a shame that a mostly Buddhist country is involved in such barbarism.

The only time when you can safely say a murderer will not murder again is once they are dead. Personally, I feel much better knowing that they are being executed and removed from society permanently.

Many of my friends & colleagues have seen my photos of the executed criminals in the forensic medecine museum; I explain to them that this is the evidence of real justice.

What do you classify as murder? There are several definitions used in the CJS. As regards executing people, where do you stop, when using your argument? Everyone has the potential to "murder" given certain types of circumstances, and that certainly doesn't mean that they will go ut and do it again.

Have a look at some of the reaearch that classifies the type of murdrerers there are in respect of forensic psychiatry, much more than you probably think.

[ClaytonSeymour]

Personally, I strongly support the death penalty & it's not applied often enough; I hate it when some scum bag pleads guilty and avoids it. Thailand should retain it.

Indeed, I would be strongly in favour of it being re-introduced in the UK; the party that offers to restore it, along with corporal punishment & national service would get my vote any day.

Why stop at criminals?

Why not execute the insane and handicapped?

When I read a post like this one it makes me shudder.

If the Thai government abolished the death penalty they would go way up in my estimation of them.

It is a shame that a mostly Buddhist country is involved in such barbarism.

The only time when you can safely say a murderer will not murder again is once they are dead. Personally, I feel much better knowing that they are being executed and removed from society permanently.

Many of my friends & colleagues have seen my photos of the executed criminals in the forensic medecine museum; I explain to them that this is the evidence of real justice.

What do you classify as murder? There are several definitions used in the CJS. As regards executing people, where do you stop, when using your argument? Everyone has the potential to "murder" given certain types of circumstances, and that certainly doesn't mean that they will go ut and do it again.

Have a look at some of the reaearch that classifies the type of murdrerers there are in respect of forensic psychiatry, much more than you probably think.

Right now, I haven't got the time fully explain who I'd execute and who I wouldn't but, I'd certainly expand it to include all drug dealers & smugglers. Similarly, I totally deplore the reasoning behind execution in certain countries i.e. Adultery. What I'm saying is there are criminals out there who deserve to die. When I've more time (in a couple of days) I will provide a detailed breakdown of who would be executed and who wouldn't.

[ClaytonSeymour]

How long does someone given a death penalty really suffer?

A few hours or minutes of anguish before facing oblivion?

Then it's a smooth unconscious ride into eternity.

On the other hand, the victim's loved ones will suffer a lifetime.

Execution is the end of hope, whereas with life imprisonment, there's always hope. I'd also add that in certain countries i.e. UK, prisons are not the horrendous places they should be & the loss of liberty is offset by, personal TV's, playstations, education and so on.

[londonthai]

Guilty people go free as I am sure innocent are in jail w/death penalty being carried out. The equation balances itself.

for every innocent prisoner there is a guilty free man still running around. With the style of policing in thailand, level of criminal science, curruption be sure, that it will be those poor and dipossessed executed and rich and powerful walking proud.

as to executing drug smuglers and dealers - is a known fact that a large part of it are run by corrupted cops and army high ranks. Back in the Taksin area they did kill and looted the property, including drugs which day before they sold on the streets.

[pete_r]

Guilty people go free as I am sure innocent are in jail w/death penalty being carried out. The equation balances itself. It may not be fair but this how life works for better or worse.

Mathematics work like that, but I can't extend the conclusion to life in general just yet. Two wrongs don't equal to one right, do they?

[Suszzy]

And when is the time you can be 100% sure that you are not condemning an innocent?

Miscarriage of justice is always a possibility, and one problem with the death penalty is that errors cannot be corrected.

totally agree with you.

[Suszzy]

may i add a bit more that life should mean life..!!

by the way..38 American states still have the death penalty

available to use if they wish to. Most choose not to.

[Tony Clifton]

Even XP has second thoughts...

Edited October 4, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[melbat]

now imagine some 10% of sentenced to death penalty being punished for something they never did.

Wrongly convicted - Death penalty or life in prison pretty much amounts to the same thing.....

Not really... We all know that 'life' usually means 15 years in jail but most out after 10 with good behaviour.

[Scott]

Where I grew up they had the death penalty--quite a number of years back--but it was seldom if ever used. I don't know if it's ever been overturned or not, but it was hard to get the death sentence. You had to either:

1) Commit murder while serving a life sentence for murder. Such as killing a guard, another prisoner, or escaping and killing someone. or

2) Commit an act of treason during war time.

I never remember anybody getting the death sentence, but when I was small a guy was lynched off a bridge for killing a farm family and burying their bodies. I don't know if the mob met much resistance from the police.

[jackspratt]

Guilty people go free as I am sure innocent are in jail w/death penalty being carried out. The equation balances itself. It may not be fair but this how life works for better or worse.

A whole lot worse for the innocent, I guess.

What a joke!

[hammered]

A cursory examination of the states that still employ the death penalty reveals some of the worse offenders against human rights in the world. Sadly the US could actually be covevred by this description these days. On the other hand it seems the majority of countries that do not have the death penalty includes virtually all of the states with a higher respect for human rights. I guess it depends on whether you want to be seen as in a group of barbarous countries or enlightened ones.

[younghusband]

A cursory examination of the states that still employ the death penalty reveals some of the worse offenders against human rights in the world. Sadly the US could actually be covevred by this description these days.

You make a reasonable point and then ruin it by the ridiculous comment on the US human rights record which all but the most blinkered would recognise as not one of the worst, far from it.You seem a sensible sort of person who I would have expected to be aware when something patently silly is said.

[samran]

such an emotive topic..

for me the start and end point of the topic is simple. I do not accept that any person has the right to take another persons life. Full stop.

To go beyond that, and start arguing about statistics etc, means you leave open the possiblity that you can be convinced of its merits. And beleive me, as an economist, not arguing statistics is a tough one.

[Plus]

.. the US human rights record which all but the most blinkered would recognise as not one of the worst, far from it.

After they divided the world into us and them, "them" have been treated like subhumans. That's the standard we should judge the nations, not how they treat their own, their "elites".

>>>

Last week when Ahmadinejad was talking at Columbia University their treatment of him was absolutely disgraceful.

"In Iran it's different", said Ahmadinejad, "in Iran we respect our guests".