Thai prisons most crowded in ASEAN

[webfact]

Thai prisons most crowded in ASEAN
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Oct 20 -- Thai prisons are the most “overcrowded among member countries of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations),” said Vittaya Suriyawong, director-general of the Corrections Department, quoting Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as expressing his concern.

He said Gen Prayut has targeted reducing the number of prisoners by 100,000 in one year while the total number of prisoners nationwide is about 310,000 now, the highest in ASEAN.

There are about 14,000 new prisoners each month and only 11,000 prisoners are released monthly, which means the number of prisoners rises at the average of 3,000 monthly, said Mr Wittaya.

Some 100,000 prisoners have less than five-year imprisonment left, majority of them are imprisoned for drug peddlers.

Mr Vittaya said there are plans to transfer 100,000 prisoners to 30 temporary prisons nationwide and provide them with training similar to a military exercise in order to lessen the overcrowding in the nation's prisons.

The transfer will also help prevent small drug traffickers from meeting incarcerated major dealers, which could create drug trafficking at prisons like now.

Touching on the parents of two jailed Myanmar men suspected of murdering two British tourists on Ko Tao, off the southern coastal province of Surat Thani, travelling from Myanmar and wishing to visit their sons, Mr. Wittaya said he had ordered Ko Samui prison chief to provide facilities to the parents.

The two suspects are being jailed at Koh Samui prison, awaiting a court trial. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-10-20

[greenchair]

If they stopped putting innocent people in prison, that number would probably reduce by a third. Ever increasing political prisoners and LM prisoners should be detained by house arrest only. That would probably reduce it by another third.

Problem solved.

[SteveFong]

can't help but notice how they buried the story about the Kho Tao murders

also the prisoners are then being sent to a boot camp?

is that code for forced labor camp?

[jaltsc]

"The transfer will also help prevent small drug traffickers from meeting incarcerated major dealers"

As with most prisons around the world...Small time crooks meet the big time crooks, become more knowledgeable in the criminal ways, and hone their skills. When they are released they move on to higher end crimes. If only the Thai school system, especially the technical schools, had more high level students to serve as mentors to the incoming students, they would have more legitimate options than to go into illegal endeavors.

Edited October 19, 2014 by jaltsc

[SteveFong]

my gosh

a legit proposed solution on thai visa,

Bravo!

[tonbridgebrit]

How about raise some tax money from the rich Thais. And then target a load of Thai construction workers (not Cambodians, and not Burmese) and get the workers to build new prisons and expand existing prisons.

That way, there will be a reduction in over-crowding in prisons, and also creates jobs for Thais ???

[ezzra]

Prison aren't suppose to be like club Med, the more horrible and uncomfortable they're the better,

unlike prison in Europe where you have your own cell with many amenities and luxury items,

if you want to minimize crowding, either build more prisons or start executing the people that

deserved to be put to death because of their heinous crimes...

[Crazy chef 1]

and stop to jail some young blokes for a piece of pot!

[alantheembalmer]

"Some 100,000 prisoners have less than five-year imprisonment left, majority of them are imprisoned for drug peddlers."
So the drug peddlers are still free to carry on their work?

[greenchair]

and stop to jail some young blokes for a piece of pot!

That's right. Stop locking up people for smoking a natural god given substance. Pot smokers and providers are not criminals. Bout time they stopped locking them up with the murderers and the rapists.

[FredNL]

Legalize marihuana.....

[SteveFong]

if there was good weed there, with plenty of availability, there would be a dramatic fall in farange mistakes and incomes would drop even more there

you have to be drunk and nearly an idiot to fall for some of the crap that foreigners fall for in Thailand

seriously, think about that

[timmyp]

>majority of them are imprisoned for drug peddlers.

I see. So the drug peddlers didn't want to go to prison, so a financially desperate person was hired to take the drug peddler's place.

[Oziex1]

"The transfer will also help prevent small drug traffickers from meeting incarcerated major dealers"

Are there any real major dealers in there?

Would like to see a demographic of inmates, how many from Myanmar? As we know there are may crimes that a Thai wouldn't do.

[Toknarok]

What do you expect when you imprison people for 15 years for picking mushrooms <deleted>!

[trainman34014]

There would be a lot more people in prison if they actually prosecuted and convicted 'connected' and wealthy people instead of letting them get away with murder and a whole raft of other serious crime. Past Politicians could be filling a 500 capacity facility for a start !

[Thai at Heart]

Yay.

A hub

[fforest1]

I would guess most are doing time for yaba...Hardly a day goes by with out many arrest for this drug...

[Lupatria]

There are about 14,000 new prisoners each month - which means the number of prisoners rises at the average of 3,000 monthly

That's a good reason to promote and create more inactive posts.

[Star Dust]

...to me thai prison felt like being in a train station with no exit.

[SteveFong]

train station?

looked more like an emergency hurricane shelter for 900 people, holding 4500, with no pillows, and no electricity, and, no doctors

[timewilltell]

The reason that Thai prisons are so overcrowded in the first place may be that Thais have no respect for the law in the first place. The answer to having overfull prisons is not to put one third of those imprisoned back out into society without serving their sentence - Lord the sentences are halved for many that plead guilty already and further halved through parole or the King's annual pardon.

The reality is that Thais need to learn social responsibility instead of excused for their misdemeanors. The reality is that poor education begets crime. The reality is that certain members of the establishment are deeply involved in crime and especially drugs. The reality is that these people most often get away with their crimes even when exposed and found out. The reality is nothing has yet started to be done to target these people, rather they still go on inactive posts.

The reality is that Thai society is troubled and deeply so - the cracks are appearing but the damage is grave. Until someone takes up the mantle to tackle corruption and education, the two greatest hinderances for the furtherance of society, nothing will change.

Rather than letting the prisoners out - build more prisons. The rehabilitation training centres for the last several months of a prisoners sentence is a good idea as long as the criminals are learning something useful and some discipline.

[emilymat]

can't help but notice how they buried the story about the Kho Tao murders

also the prisoners are then being sent to a boot camp?

is that code for forced labor camp?

Yep. The natural extension of the boot camp could be the gulag. Let's hope not.

[rickirs]

It appears that slighly more that one-fifth of the Thai prison population is from Pre-Trial detainees and remand (yet to be sentenced or unable to gain release by bail) prisoners; yet, they are encarcentated with the general prison populations. Innovative policies might do more to reduce this prisoner population (ie., decriminalizing crimes, bail-free releases, monitored house arrest, etc).

Another disappointing statistic for Thailand is that it has the highest number of prison population per capita in ALL of ASIA (incl. China but excl. Russia and Azerbaljan), OCEANIA, MIDDLE EAST, and EUROPE. However, compared to the Western Hemisphere (ie., North and South Americas), Thailand has only ranks in the upper 25% quadrile. - ref. World Prison Population List by ICPS, 9/2011-9/2013.

[Strangebrew]

Actually could reduce prison population in half in one year. Execute the murders and child rapists in a public square, Then the corrupt cops and politicians hung in public this would solve two problems at once The country would reform in a heartbeat and corruption in the police would stop. A real return to happiness Once Thai's see it don't pay or price to pay to great then things would change.

[biggles45]

Trainman, there would also be a lot more in jail if so many of the people in the Justice system weren't getting paid off so offenders could stay out of jail.

[trainman34014]

Trainman, there would also be a lot more in jail if so many of the people in the Justice system weren't getting paid off so offenders could stay out of jail.

So true.

[SteveFong]

whoever posted that firing squads and public hangings should commence with all corrupt officials, etc.,

be careful what you wish for

as the debts that are going bad, get worse with the slowed economy, and undisciplined and reckless spending by the population with balloon financing on their cars and homes and China, the Asia engine still slowing,

Thailand has some harsh days ahead

No one mentions the thousands if not tens of thousands of employed by the tourist and sex trade,

who have been living on whatever credit and loan shark they can

military dictatorships know xactly what to do in times like these,

this picture doesnt get better

[osiboy]

If they stopped putting innocent people in prison, that number would probably reduce by a third. Ever increasing political prisoners and LM prisoners should be detained by house arrest only. That would probably reduce it by another third.

Problem solved.

one rule for the rich another for the poor you mean ?

[osiboy]

Actually could reduce prison population in half in one year. Execute the murders and child rapists in a public square, Then the corrupt cops and politicians hung in public this would solve two problems at once The country would reform in a heartbeat and corruption in the police would stop. A real return to happiness Once Thai's see it don't pay or price to pay to great then things would change.

like your post strangbrew,....problem is the thai police ARE the mafia and cannot be trusted,...too many innocent lives at risk imo ,.....TIT !