Thai Govt 'Willing' To Abolish Death Penalty: Official

[Lite Beer]

Thai Govt 'Willing' To Abolish Death Penalty: Official

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK - The Thai government may abolish Thailand's death penalty in the near future, a senior official said, as delegates from around the world overwhelmingly supported the UN's proposal for suspension of death sentence.

"The Ministry of Justice has drafted its plan for national human rights. The goal of the plan is to abolish death penalty," said Chanchao Chaiyanukit, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Justice.

He continued, "It is possible for us to abolish death penalty, if we manage to accomplish the national human rights plan and convince the public to be confident that the Ministry can still punish wrongdoers without death penalty."

Chanchao also claimed that Thailand has not actually executed any prisoner in the last ten years. However, a report by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) indicated that the last execution in Thailand in fact took place in April 2009, when two men were put to death by lethal injection with just one-hour notice at Bang Khwang Prison.

Read More: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1419229703

-- Khaosod English 2014-12-22

[greenchair]

That is great news. 2 wrongs don't make a right. The idea that the state kills people, while telling citizens not to kill people is ludicrous.

[Rinrada]

Must agree...Good News...

[uty6543]

I support the use of the deati penalty but only for countries that have a fair and transparent justice system.

[Cuchulainn]

Bit late for these 2 lads, eh?

If they're posthumously pardoned when the truth emerges, that's ok then. Case closed!!

[FangFerang]

"in April 2009, when two men were put to death by lethal injection with just one-hour notice at Bang Khwang Prison."

Says it all right there.....

Smedly, "Well. No more death penalty, so let's up the forced disappearances!"

Cheers from the troops follows.

[surangw]

does this mean soon some gov officials will be facing the same fate ?

[CMHomeboy78]

Too many innocent people have been executed by governments that have life and death power.

[sweatalot]

Seeing the picture on this OP with the Thai police and the man wearing handcuffs

normally I would have thought "This man is a criminal"

After Koh Tao my thinking has changed

Now this thought came to me "I wonder who is the criminal in this pic?"

[SoFarAndNear]

I support the use of the deati penalty but only for countries that have a fair and transparent justice system.

And who decides if a country is fair and has a transparent justice system?

[JOC]

I support the use of the deati penalty but only for countries that have a fair and transparent justice system.

A fair and transparent justice system IMO only exists in a few European countries and none of them have the death penalty.

Says it all!!

[JOC]

I support the use of the deati penalty but only for countries that have a fair and transparent justice system.

USA are by many considered to have a fair and transparent justice system.

Still they have executed innocent people!!

"A society is judged by the way it treats its weakest members"

[nisakiman]

A step in the right direction. I'm no bunny-hugger, but I consider the death penalty a barbaric and anachronistic mis-use of state power.

[JoeLing]

So no more death sentences by any courts?

Does that mean that suspected, possible criminals will be
shot (or drowned) before the whole case goes to court?

Hang on, didn't we have that one already?

[Misterwhisper]

Frankly, I'd rather read "Thailand to abolish inactive posts" or "Thailand abolishes bail for hi-so criminal suspects".

Edited December 22, 2014 by Misterwhisper

[noitom]

How does that hit and run cop killing stack up? The article talks about "punishing wrong doers," but no effort seems to be made to apprehend this known Thai criminal.

[chainarong]

The problem occurs when you have an innocent victim put to death , only a few weeks back someone was exonerated posthumously somewhere , fat good that did for the victim , the amount of bungling by the RTP, truth be known over 75% of those put to death could have been innocent, the RTP don't give a Sh!!t they've got a conviction, that's all that matters to them.

[Commerce]

Should deal with being willing to abolish slave labour first, amongst many other things that need dealing with first on the agenda.

[NomadJoe]

Bit late for these 2 lads, eh?

If they're posthumously pardoned when the truth emerges, that's ok then. Case closed!!

This is the problem with the death penalty. It requires a perfect legal system, which doesn't exist. The number of executed people the Innocence Project has exonerated through DNA is well into the double digits. Since the 70's 150 people have been exonerated and freed from death row. To minimize that problem, we have the appeals process which in turn makes it far more costly to execute someone than to incarcerate them for life. On top of that there is no solid evidence supporting the position that having a death penalty reduces the murder rate. Many countries will not deport people to places like the United States if there is a likelihood they may face the death penalty.

Whether your argument is a moral one or a financial one, the facts to support the death penalty just aren't there.

Edited December 22, 2014 by NomadJoe

[Kitsune]

"if we convince the public to be confident that the Ministry can still punish wrongdoers without death penalty."

Right so next, the just have to say the public is not ready,come up with one their bullshit poll and that's the end of discussion

[FireMedic]

I thought after the rape and murder on the train and the rape and murder of that little girl the guy stuffed into the drain, people were demanding it be used more! I think it's funny they will abolish the death penalty to appease the human rights people, but the human trafficking still continues on a mass scale here. There's no money to be made in executing someone, so it's easy to get rid of.

[IamNoone88]

Hypothetically, if some-one had horrifically raped, beaten and murdered my 13 year old daughter and slung her from a train, i would demand the death penalty. If they were released early for whatever reason, i would not rest until i found them.

[binjalin]

yea but that means a Doctor can kill and cut up his wife and then be released and is still a Doctor? what about the wife? what about the child rapist and killer? who confessed to many more? let him go in the future?

Edited December 23, 2014 by binjalin

[Docno]

I support the use of the deati penalty but only for countries that have a fair and transparent justice system.

And even in those countries, innocent people still end up being victims of what is (in their cases) state-sanctioned murder...

[Time Traveller]

So after the Army's 2010 massacre they now realize they don't need a death penalty to execute people. Since they are the government without opposition and are immune to prosecution for any crimes, they can pretty much kill anyone they want to.

[empireboy]

Not sure what I think about the death penalty in the case of hideous crimes and the circumstances surrounding them are irrefutable but I am ABSOLUTELY against it in Thailand where there is no proven history of honesty nor the attitude of innocent until proven guilty.

[Thaiready]

Just what we need more Murders not getting their do. So what about that animal that gets released because he has been so-called "rehabituated" and goes on to kill again...??? I say fry-em......and make it quick.

[Krataiboy]

A step in the right direction. But many murderers and rapists might well prefer death to the prospect of endless years of living hell under a brutal regime in one of Thailand's filthy, overcrowded and disease-ridden Thai prison.

The Kingdom's jails are a national disgrace and a blight on the country's human rights record and should be top of the generals' list for reform.

[Krataiboy]

A step in the right direction. But death might be seen by some murders and rapists as preferable to a lifetime of unremitting misery in one of Thailand's filthy, overcrowded and brutal prisons.

They are a blot on the Kingdom's human rights record and should be high on the generals' agenda for reform.

[gandalf12]

Can anyone give a good reason as to why the Thai people should pay to keep those who would be executed in jail and pay for their upkeep?

I cant think of one good reason. Whilst considering Human Rights think seriously about the Human Rights of the victim