Productive role envisaged for inmates as labourers

[Lite Beer]

Productive role envisaged for inmates as labourers
Piyanut Tamnukasetchai
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- Move aims to tackle human trafficking and also overcrowding in prisons

Justice Ministry permanent secretary Pol General Chatchawal Suksomjit is ready to send well-behaving inmates to work on fishing boats for the remainder of their sentences.

At the same time, Corrections Department chief Wittaya Suriyawong is considering allowing well-behaving inmates to work as labourers at industrial estates, starting with the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate, to help them earn income and prepare for life after prison.

Chatchawal yesterday said the idea to send volunteer inmates to work on fishing boats was in response to an earlier idea floated by Labour Minister General Surasak Karnjanarat and Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya that aimed to tackle human trafficking.

Chatchawal said he was ready to coordinate with the Labour permanent secretary and the Employment Department to implement the idea, which would also solve prison overcrowding.

He said the selected inmates under the scheme would have qualified for probation or would have only a short time remaining in their sentences.

They would be asked to volunteer to work on boats. The Fisheries Association would also be consulted.

"The use of inmate labour would help solve human trafficking, because the inmates will be going on a voluntary basis … After working for a while, if they are not happy, they can ask for change and return ashore [and prison]," he said.

Wittaya said he recently discussed the proposal with the Fisheries Association so it could be implemented quickly.

Responding to Paiboon's idea to set up prisons reserved for drug offenders only, Wittaya said of the total 320,00 inmates, 200,000 were drug convicts in the country's 143 prisons - or 70 per cent of the total prison population.

He said that given there were only 100,000 inmates convicted of robbery, theft, murder or rape, the prisons basically housed drug inmates.

Of the 200,000 prisoners, 100,000 were jailed for being in possession of narcotics for personal use or for distribution.

Wittaya said Paiboon had instructed the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to check the drug convict database so that categorising inmates would not be done only by the amount of drugs seized, as some big fish were caught with a small amount of drugs.

"General Paiboon also instructed the Corrections Department to find a proper way to manage prisons so the inmates' release procedure wouldn't be carried out irrationally," he said.

"As those given death sentences served only 15 to 20 years in jail and then were released, the Thai public think the law isn't efficient. So we must build new prisons to support the inmates and separate drug convicts from other criminals."

Wittaya said that given the existing prison personnel and condition issues, he had instructed prison chiefs to assess the risk posed by inmates in a bid to prevent fights and riots.

He said government bonds would soon be issued to pay for construction of drug-offender prisons, with Dhanarak Asset Development Co Ltd to manage the funds and the money repaid by the government within 30 years.

Meanwhile, Chatchawal yesterday visited the Probation Department to hear about progress on the scheme to dispatch 3,000 electronic-monitoring (EM) bracelets for convicts on probation to use - such as drunk drivers or illegal taxi drivers - at 27 provinces starting from next year.

The department used 200 EM bracelets in the pilot scheme in Bangkok and surrounding areas, he said, adding that Bt74 million was spent to rent the 3,000 bracelets.

The provinces that will receive the device include Khon Kaen, Ayutthaya, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Phuket and Songkhla.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Productive-role-envisaged-for-inmates-as-labourers-30248365.html

-- The Nation 2014-11-23

[Thai at Heart]

Yay.

Free slaves.

[Rocking Robert]

You should use them to pick up the litter along the highways.

[HeijoshinCool]

Interesting no mention is made of their pay. Trafficking is defined, in part, as forced labor.

In the U.S., prisoners are also employed.

They make 23 cents per hour. What are they doing?

Among many other things, packaging Microsoft products, manufacturing body armor and night vision equipment for various militaries worldwide, and assembling launch systems for American TOW anti-tank missiles. If they refuse, they are often placed in solitary. And many of the prisons participating in this are private, and listed on NASDAQ.

Forced labor is forced labor.

[aTomsLife]

Yay.

Free slaves.

Or criminals repaying their debt to society. Depends how you look at it.

Of course it will all come down to how the program is managed. But on the surface it's better than what goes on in the U.S., where in many ways prisons resemble university campuses: state of the art exercise facilities, high quality libraries, access to the internet and cable TV. All at an alarming expense to the taxpayer.

As far as I'm concerned we should be putting nearly all prisoners to work in the agricultural industry, which would also limit the influx of temporary workers from south of the border, who too often decide they're gonna stay in the country regardless of what their visa terms are. Next thing you know a guy who was brought in to pick potatoes is working at a construction site. The results have been disastrous, essentially expelling blue collar workers from the middle class...but I digress.

[RustBucket]

Seems like Pol General Chatchawal Suksomjit has just seen 'Shawshank Redemption'.

Money is going to change hands between certain big private firms and certain influential figures in the prison and justice system.

Nothing to do with human trafficking at all.

Are they going to post convicted ladyboys along Walking Street? Seeing the sex industry is rife with forced sex slavery.

[djjamie]

This is certainly open to corruption with fishing companies and industry contractors paying bribes to secure the free labour to increase their profit margins.

If it was a community service based order it would eliminate corruption and offer benefits directly back to the community instead of profit orientated businesses. Community service is practiced throughout the world and in fact in some high schools in Washington State in America it is compulsory to do 200 hours of community service to be eligible to graduate. Australia has community service orders in leu of jail. In the UK they call it "compulsory unpaid work".

​Some call it slavery while others mention forced labour. I think I stand in unison with most Western countries when I call it "paying back a debt to society for societies benefit". Lets hope the Junta make some changes to the scheme to more align it with this ethos lest Wittaya Suriyawong become a very rich man from it.

[FangFerang]

This is certainly open to corruption with fishing companies and industry contractors paying bribes to secure the free labour to increase their profit margins.

If it was a community service based order it would eliminate corruption and offer benefits directly back to the community instead of profit orientated businesses. Community service is practiced throughout the world and in fact in some high schools in Washington State in America it is compulsory to do 200 hours of community service to be eligible to graduate. Australia has community service orders in leu of jail. In the UK they call it "compulsory unpaid work".

​Some call it slavery while others mention forced labour. I think I stand in unison with most Western countries when I call it "paying back a debt to society for societies benefit". Lets hope the Junta make some changes to the scheme to more align it with this ethos lest Wittaya Suriyawong become a very rich man from it.

For the very first time in months, you actually said something I completely agree with. I hope you a speedy reconciliation with your health because you mjust not be feeling well.

[Sviss Geez]

...

Forced labor is forced labor.

Voluntary participation, which is what this is all about, is voluntary participation.

[Sviss Geez]

Yay.

Free slaves.

But only those who volunteer.

[halloween]

Every time I have seen Thai prisoners outside of a jail, they were in chains. Not good on a fishing boat.

[Ulic]

Yay.

Free slaves.

Or criminals repaying their debt to society. Depends how you look at it.

Of course it will all come down to how the program is managed. But on the surface it's better than what goes on in the U.S., where in many ways prisons resemble university campuses: state of the art exercise facilities, high quality libraries, access to the internet and cable TV. All at an alarming expense to the taxpayer.

As far as I'm concerned we should be putting nearly all prisoners to work in the agricultural industry, which would also limit the influx of temporary workers from south of the border, who too often decide they're gonna stay in the country regardless of what their visa terms are. Next thing you know a guy who was brought in to pick potatoes is working at a construction site. The results have been disastrous, essentially expelling blue collar workers from the middle class...but I digress.

Not sure what you have seen or read. The television shows I have seen (must be a dozen of them) show no state of the

art exercise facilities, a few old donated books and magazines, and many are operated by private companies at minimal expense.

Guards are paid low wages, and the guard to inmate ratio is shocking. There are few programs in these jails to reduce recidivism

as they cost money, and the jail are run for profit. These private jails want inmates to re-offend to keep the jails full. Of course there

are the urban legend stories of jail facilities with golf courses, tennis courts, and swimming pools but I have not seen those

on Discovery Channel yet. Just because the call it club Fed does not mean it is comparable to Club Med, as the Hanoi Hilton was

not a 4 star hotel housing POW's during the Vietnam war.

[Equalizer]

DRUGS!!!! Cant see them letting the competition out in a hurry.

[aTomsLife]

Yay.

Free slaves.

Or criminals repaying their debt to society. Depends how you look at it.

Of course it will all come down to how the program is managed. But on the surface it's better than what goes on in the U.S., where in many ways prisons resemble university campuses: state of the art exercise facilities, high quality libraries, access to the internet and cable TV. All at an alarming expense to the taxpayer.

As far as I'm concerned we should be putting nearly all prisoners to work in the agricultural industry, which would also limit the influx of temporary workers from south of the border, who too often decide they're gonna stay in the country regardless of what their visa terms are. Next thing you know a guy who was brought in to pick potatoes is working at a construction site. The results have been disastrous, essentially expelling blue collar workers from the middle class...but I digress.

Not sure what you have seen or read. The television shows I have seen (must be a dozen of them) show no state of the

art exercise facilities, a few old donated books and magazines, and many are operated by private companies at minimal expense.

Guards are paid low wages, and the guard to inmate ratio is shocking. There are few programs in these jails to reduce recidivism

as they cost money, and the jail are run for profit. These private jails want inmates to re-offend to keep the jails full. Of course there

are the urban legend stories of jail facilities with golf courses, tennis courts, and swimming pools but I have not seen those

on Discovery Channel yet. Just because the call it club Fed does not mean it is comparable to Club Med, as the Hanoi Hilton was

not a 4 star hotel housing POW's during the Vietnam war.

A simple Google search would show you there is truth to what I wrote, though admittedly the term "state of the art" was rather hyperbolic.

Don't worry, I know there are plenty of shitty prisons, too. And for the record, the existence of prisons for profit rubs me in all the wrong ways.

Still, the crux of what I wrote stands: most prisoners should be put to work, as they should be paying off their debts to society as opposed to only being a drain on taxpayers. And I see a particular need they could fill in agriculture, and while I'm at, also in helping to rebuild our decaying interstates as well.

[Dogmatix]

Chain gangs, a great alternative to slave labour. If they don't perform, the entire chain gang can be dumped over board with a cement block on one end and replaced at the local jail house on payment of a standard fee.

[Mudcrab]

Perhaps if they were productive in a previous life they wouldn't be in prison in the first place..

[ABCer]

It may be a curse or a blessing. It all depends on many factors. TIT being what it is... hmm may I have doubts?

If they are paid a decent wage AND get it! - good move!

If they are not forced to work - good move!

If they learn new skills - good move!

Prep for integration into community - good move!

Any other - forced labor camps, slavery, source of additional profit for jailers.

Edited November 23, 2014 by ABCer

[Ulysses G.]

Yay.

Free slaves.

Or criminals repaying their debt to society. Depends how you look at it.

Of course it will all come down to how the program is managed. But on the surface it's better than what goes on in the U.S., where in many ways prisons resemble university campuses: state of the art exercise facilities, high quality libraries, access to the internet and cable TV. All at an alarming expense to the taxpayer.

As far as I'm concerned we should be putting nearly all prisoners to work in the agricultural industry, which would also limit the influx of temporary workers from south of the border, who too often decide they're gonna stay in the country regardless of what their visa terms are. Next thing you know a guy who was brought in to pick potatoes is working at a construction site. The results have been disastrous, essentially expelling blue collar workers from the middle class...but I digress.

Not sure what you have seen or read. The television shows I have seen (must be a dozen of them) show no state of the

art exercise facilities, a few old donated books and magazines, and many are operated by private companies at minimal expense.

Guards are paid low wages, and the guard to inmate ratio is shocking. There are few programs in these jails to reduce recidivism

as they cost money, and the jail are run for profit. These private jails want inmates to re-offend to keep the jails full. Of course there

are the urban legend stories of jail facilities with golf courses, tennis courts, and swimming pools but I have not seen those

on Discovery Channel yet. Just because the call it club Fed does not mean it is comparable to Club Med, as the Hanoi Hilton was

not a 4 star hotel housing POW's during the Vietnam war.

Prisons in America are very unpleasant places. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Supposedly prisons in some Scandinavian countries are as described above, but not in good old USA, although some are not as bad as others. There might be a couple of exceptions, but very few.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[Frank James]

You should use them to pick up the litter along the highways.

"Shakin' it, Boss!"

"Luke, shotgun."

"Yassuh Boss!"

[BirdsandBooze]

In my area we have had a Drain Gang for a long while. They are gangs of prison inmates who regularly clean out the drains while enjoying a sing song. Do a good job too. Probably happy to be outside the wire for a while.

[rakman]

You should use them to pick up the litter along the highways.

I have a better idea. Make them politicians.

[Cake Monster]

Its all about how the money goes around the system, and is made in Thailand, - and nothing else.

[maidee]

euh, maybe stop putting people in prison for having 1 sigarette worth of marijane ?

and leave the dealers rott in prison ?

so now human trafficiking slave boat owners can become abuse prison guards ...

loooooooooooooooool

[gemini81]

Slaves- free labor. Didnt they ever open their Thai history books? That is why those in on drug charges are ideal for them- easy to exploit, use for labor.