PM to unshackle some inmates on May 15
The Nation


A file photo showing how an inmate is shackled in prison.

BANGKOK: -- On May 15, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will ceremoniously undo the shackles on some prisoners in a move to improve the rights of inmates.

Some 500 of the 800 prisoners on death row have been chosen to benefit from this landmark leniency scheme introduced by the Corrections Department.

The move was initiated by the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT), which has been praised by the Independent National Rule of Law Commission (NRLC) for making moves to comply with international standards on human rights.

Those who will benefit from this are inmates on death row as well as those facing death under lower-court rulings, but still awaiting a final verdict from the Supreme Court.

High-profile convicts

Among them are former Army major Chalermchai Matchaklam, who was convicted of killing a provincial governor in a high-profile murder case; and notorious hit man Wisit Phuengrassamee, who ran a network of gun-for-hire rackets.

However, Justice for Peace Foundation chairwoman Angk-hana Neelaphaijit said this scheme only favoured certain groups of inmates and for it really to work, it should be applied to inmates shackled in other prisons as well.

She said the government should make this scheme part of its policy and that it was not necessary to turn it into a big ceremony with Yingluck in attendance.

One of the TRCT's proposals has already been put into practice, with political detainees or red-shirt protesters arrested in 2010 being moved to detention facilities.

The NRLC's suggestion about putting inmates on house arrest by having them wear tracking devices is being pursued by the Corrections Department.


-- The Nation 2013-05-11

I think we will truly know we are in the grip of the Shinawatra oligarchy when they start giving pardons on Mr. T's birthday.

The power merchant's equivalent of releasing a few birds to make merit I guess!

'Tis but a nightmare, a horror dream from which we awake screaming in terror into the dark daylight of reality. We then, with equal repugnance, find the true nightmare, the dread stuff of this crock of sh@t.

What would possess the PM to think unchaining death row prisoners was good for her image? They are on death row - 800 of them - what? she wants to make them happy? Or is this another ploy for loyalty to the Sin Shin clan in case they ever are released and can become loyal black shirt mercenaries for big brother in his quest for dictatorship over Thailand?

She'd do better if she changed the law to make the death penalty a thing of the past, to be replaced by life in imprisonment

What would possess the PM to think unchaining death row prisoners was good for her image? They are on death row - 800 of them - what? she wants to make them happy? Or is this another ploy for loyalty to the Sin Shin clan in case they ever are released and can become loyal black shirt mercenaries for big brother in his quest for dictatorship over Thailand?

I had another school of thought LT, maybe the good PM will sneak out the back and unshackle some PTP supporters . while the prison warders are reading a glossy brochure on the achievements of the PTP government.

Simply insane, however , the not at all suprising given the mentality of those in power.

How much did they pay to get unshackled?

She'd do better if she changed the law to make the death penalty a thing of the past, to be replaced by life in imprisonment

Agree. There should be no talk of home detention ankle bracelets (are they Aussie invented?) for the two examples given. They both should be held in maximum security prisons doing some hard time.

The fact that this is being done on the Dubai fugitive convicted criminal's birthday shows the Shinawatra Mafia Amart families leader has little contempt for anything of Thailand than his and his families reward and gain. Imelda is back running for MP in the Philippines. Hun Sen would be so impressed that his Cambodian style of leadership to rubbing off on Lord Thaksin. And the Amart trading in Asia carries on. No Democracy anywhere in sight.

The NRLC's suggestion about putting inmates on house arrest by having them wear tracking devices is being pursued by the Corrections Department.

I told this forum this would happen eventually and that Thaksin would probably do his time at home.

Heard all the stories on here about the law says, they have to do a certain amount of time before home detention with a tracking device can come into effect, but no proof of that law shown on TVF.

As Arnie said, Thaksin is saying, "I'll be back"

/SNIP/ "However, Justice for Peace Foundation chairwoman Angk-hana Neelaphaijit said this scheme only favoured certain groups of inmates and for it really to work, it should be applied to inmates shackled in other prisons as well.

/SNIP/

One of the TRCT's proposals has already been put into practice, with political detainees or red-shirt protesters arrested in 2010 being moved to detention facilities.

/SNIP/

At least someone in the article says it how it is. Downgrading the punishments of politically motivated acts of arson and various other issues on the birthday of the man who funded the movement and openly encouraged the acts whilst hiding behind a webcam in Dubai at the time is an absolute outrage and open discrimination against the political opposition. This is an indirect act repressing equality between political parties and their respective activist groups.

There are those in the yellow shirt camps who perhaps should be being punished alongside the red shirt members who acted as terrorists, but nobody should be getting lighter punishments handed to them long after being judged. It is for the courts to decide the path of a criminal once they are in the hands of the justice system, not a politician, not even a Shinawatra with the latest shoes from Italy.

We are speaking about shackles and about death row, some of your comments are inappropriate.

We are speaking about shackles and about death row, some of your comments are inappropriate.

May I ask whose posts you are referring to? This would make your comment easier to respond to by those you are addressing

She is a great lady may the Lord Buddha bless her

The PM seems to have gone into a recluse mode since inserting foot in mouth in Mongolia.

The past few days she seems to be peering out from under the bucket and testing the weather to see if a sun bonnet, rain coat or a flake jacket would be required

Roadman, its not on her bros birthday. His birthday is in July.

Some of you need to make up your minds. Successive governments have been criticized for their incarceration policies, and now that the government finally yields to the pressure from many western countries, particularly the Scandanavian countries, the government is lambasted.

The suggestion of house arrest monitoring is in respect to non violent offenders. The proposal is to transfer some inmates after doing a portion of their sentences to the home detention. Thailand's prisons are over crowded. It serves no purpose locking up non violent offenders such as people caught with small amounts of drugs. Many of the younger candidates selected for house arrest would be better off under the watchful eyes of families. Incarcerating people who are young and salvageable with some hard core criminals is hardly benefiting society. Add in the costs of keeping these people in custody, or those that are ill or infirm and it is a win win situation to get them out of the jails.

As for the unshackling of prisoners by the PM, it is an idiotic idea, but is to be expected where police and victims pose pointing at an accused.

In Thailand, when one does a compassionate act, one usually wants the whole world to know. Maybe the gesture is intended to show compassion. I just think it is tacky and exploitive.

I guess murder and gun running aren't all that serious offences in Thailand...sad.

That bloke doesn't want to be bending over too much like that seeing as where he is.....

Some of you need to make up your minds. Successive governments have been criticized for their incarceration policies, and now that the government finally yields to the pressure from many western countries, particularly the Scandanavian countries, the government is lambasted.

The suggestion of house arrest monitoring is in respect to non violent offenders. The proposal is to transfer some inmates after doing a portion of their sentences to the home detention. Thailand's prisons are over crowded. It serves no purpose locking up non violent offenders such as people caught with small amounts of drugs. Many of the younger candidates selected for house arrest would be better off under the watchful eyes of families. Incarcerating people who are young and salvageable with some hard core criminals is hardly benefiting society. Add in the costs of keeping these people in custody, or those that are ill or infirm and it is a win win situation to get them out of the jails.

As for the unshackling of prisoners by the PM, it is an idiotic idea, but is to be expected where police and victims pose pointing at an accused.

In Thailand, when one does a compassionate act, one usually wants the whole world to know. Maybe the gesture is intended to show compassion. I just think it is tacky and exploitive.

Well g'kid I agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph, well said.

Does anyone believe that the home detention system won't be abused, and given automatically to the wealthy and connected without them having to spend any time in a prison? Is "hard time" in your mansion a deterrent?

but is to be expected where police and victims pose pointing at an accused.

What I want to know is why, during those crime re-enactments, is the perp usually grinning from ear to ear as if he'd just been offered an ounce of quality weed, a glass of single malt and a team BJ from a gaggle of lakorn starlets rather than standing accused of bludgeoning an old granny to death while strung out on meth?

Does anyone believe that the home detention system won't be abused, and given automatically to the wealthy and connected without them having to spend any time in a prison? Is "hard time" in your mansion a deterrent?

Fair criticism and a valid point, but I ask you to consider the rare cases of when a wealthy or connected person is actually incarcerated. Do you think they do not receive preferential treatment as it is? Remember the scene from Goodfellas where Paulie and the crew are living it up in the prison cell with a TV, wine and nice food? I would expect that any wealthy or well connected person has similar treatment in a country where corruption is the order of the day. Look at how some of the Redshirt leaders were treated by the former Democrat government. If they were considered violent offenders, why were they in their own living quarters and given better treatment than other detainees? Ok, sure it can be argued they were political prisoners, but still, they should have been treated like regular detainees if they were involved in violent offenses.

"Justice for Peace Foundation chairwoman Angk-hana Neelaphaijit said this scheme only favoured certain groups of inmates and for it really to work, it should be applied to inmates shackled in other prisons as well.

She said the government should make this scheme part of its policy and that it was not necessary to turn it into a big ceremony with Yingluck in attendance".

Oh she will be there all right. A photo op that is not in a store that most Thais can't afford underwear in. She'll be there.

'Tis but a nightmare, a horror dream from which we awake screaming in terror into the dark daylight of reality. We then, with equal repugnance, find the true nightmare, the dread stuff of this crock of sh@t.

Tis but stolen prose. In any case many societies do not consider cruel and unusual punishment to be a crock. If you are suggesting that this is merely a political ploy that is of course entirely debatable and regardless the issue has been brought into public attention.

Good to see her behind bars, it's where most Shinawatras belong.

She'd do better if she changed the law to make the death penalty a thing of the past, to be replaced by life in imprisonment

Agree. There should be no talk of home detention ankle bracelets (are they Aussie invented?) for the two examples given. They both should be held in maximum security prisons doing some hard time.

The fact that this is being done on the Dubai fugitive convicted criminal's birthday shows the Shinawatra Mafia Amart families leader has little contempt for anything of Thailand than his and his families reward and gain. Imelda is back running for MP in the Philippines. Hun Sen would be so impressed that his Cambodian style of leadership to rubbing off on Lord Thaksin. And the Amart trading in Asia carries on. No Democracy anywhere in sight.

Thaksins birthday isn't for a few months yet..: try July

How much did they pay to get unshackled?

Nice try. I see that you would love to jump on board the immensely popular "accuse all them Thais of corruption" wagon. How many of those poor frigging losers do you actually think have deep pockets!? 500 payoffs yet.

us also hold prisoners on death row in very shot line. mayne amnesti national have to look over there too?