Jail
- World News
Myanmar journalist jailed for life, another gets 20 years
A military court in Myanmar sentenced one journalist to life imprisonment and another to 20 years behind bars, further tightening the junta’s iron grip on the nation’s media. The verdict was delivered under a draconian counterterrorism law. The journalists, 40 year old Myo Myint Oo and 49 year old Aung San Oo, who work for the independent online news service…
- Tourism News
UK warns British tourists to behave in Thailand or face jail time
The United Kingdom Foreign Office issued a travel warning to British tourists heading to Thailand ahead of the summer holidays: “Behave, or end up in jail!” The Foreign Office advised British holidaymakers flying to the Land of Smiles to be cautious of the new visa rules. “From 1 June 2024, British passport holders arriving by air or land can enter…
- Thailand News
Thai janitor cleared of rape after DNA implicates stepfather
The exoneration of a school janitor wrongly convicted of rape highlights the complexities of the Thai justice system. The janitor, who spent six years in prison for a crime he did not commit, has finally been vindicated after DNA evidence proved that the actual perpetrator was the stepfather of the victim. On February 1, a dramatic turn of events unfolded…
- China News
Woman exposes sister-in-law’s affair during brother’s jail time
A Taiwanese woman recently uncovered her sister-in-law’s infidelity towards her incarcerated brother. The woman discovered the affair after her brother was imprisoned in April this year, and she shared the distressing details on her Facebook group. The woman explained that her sister-in-law started a relationship with another man soon after her brother was jailed. She became aware of this when…
- Crime News
Scowl Play: Trump’s mug shot sparks questions on jail time and future US President run
The mug shot of a scowling Donald Trump last night was a bewildering sight for both supporters and opponents of the former US President – but what does it mean, can he be jailed, and can he still run for office? The 77 year old former US President yesterday surrendered at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on charges of illegally scheming…
- Crime News
Ex-Democrat Party deputy Prinn jailed for student molestation
Prinn Panitchpakdi, the former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for the molestation of an 18 year old female student at a condominium and restaurant. The sentencing was immediately enforced, without waiting for the appeal period. Kosolwat Intuchanyong, deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General, yesterday revealed that…
- Politics News
Royal pardon for ex-PM Thaksin?
The unseated ex-Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, is eligible to request a royal pardon upon his return to the country. When he returns, he would be imprisoned but can request a pardon, according to the acting Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam in an announcement yesterday. According to the deputy premier, who also holds the interim role of justice minister…
- Crime News
Fruitless: Tourists they face jail time for bringing fruits to Thailand, govt warns
The Thai government issued a warning to tourists that it would be fruitless to bring fruits into Thailand unless they wanted to go to jail. The Department of Agriculture specifically stated that transporting fresh fruit into Thailand without a phytosanitary certificate could result in a fine of 20,000 baht or a jail sentence of one year. The director-general of the…
- Northern Thailand News
Chiang Rai activist sentenced to 28 years for royal defamation
A Chiang Rai activist will now spend the next 28 years behind bars after being charged with royal defamation. Mongkol Tirakote, an activist and online clothing vendor was charged with two separate royal defamation cases after posting defamatory comments online. According to The Hindu, the kingdom’s lese-majeste laws are among the harshest in the world with rights groups saying they…
- Hot News
More than 1,500 arrested in Thailand last year for gambling, online fraud
Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society says more than 1,500 people were arrested in 2022 for online fraud and gambling. The Cybercrime Control Committee announced the statistics at its first meeting for the year. According to the Bangkok Post, 166 suspects were nabbed for their roles in eight call centre scams. Some 461 were reprimanded over illegal online gambling…
- Hot News
Former US funeral home director gets 20 years in slammer for selling dead body parts
A former US funeral home director in the state of Colorado has been jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of selling dead body parts. The former director, Megan Hess, 46, pleaded guilty to defrauding relatives of the dead by dissecting 560 corpses and selling them without permission. Hess operated a funeral home named Sunset Mesa in Montrose, Colorado.…
- World News
Injured and detained journalists sentenced to three years plus labour in Myanmar jail
The Myanmar junta has reportedly sentenced two journalists to prison plus labour, along with seven anti-coup protesters. Myanmar Press Photo Agency journalists Ko Kaung Sett Lin and Ma Hmue Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun were arrested on December 5 after junta forces allegedly rammed a military vehicle into a peaceful flash-mob protest in Yangon’s Kyimyindaing Township. According to the Irrawaddy,…
- Hot News
“Merchant of Death” Viktor Bout arrives in Russia as part of US-Russia prisoner swap
The “Merchant of Death,” or Viktor Bout, has arrived in Russia after being swapped with prisoner Brittney Griner from the US. The notorious arms dealer was exchanged in Abu Dhabi with American basketball star Brittney Griner. Despite his reputation, Bout received a hero’s welcome upon arriving in Moscow. He spoke to his family when his plane made a refuelling stop…
- Hot News
Thai car racing gangs of five or more warned of jail time if caught
Thai street car racing gangs of five or more are being warned that they will face jail time and large fines if they are caught gathering. The superintendent of Prachachuen police station sent out the warning, saying even if they have not started racing, those in groups will be arrested for illegal racing. Land Transport and Excise department officials accompanied…
- World News
Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi jailed for three years, along with Australian adviser
Myanmar’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been sentenced to another three years in jail along with an Australian adviser to her political party. Suu Kyi was detained back in February 2021 after a military coup took over the government, despite her party winning a democratic election the year before. Australian economist and adviser to the National League for…
- Crime News
5 million baht fine and 1 year jail sentence for those breaking new data laws
People who break the new data laws face a fine of up to 5 million baht and a 1 year jail sentence. The Royal Thai Police issued this warning ahead of the new Personal Data Protection Act which came into effect today. Under the new law, people can post pictures and video clips of themselves with others for personal purposes…
- Crime News
5,000 prisoners in Thailand are suffering from mental health illness
There are 260,000 prisoners across 143 jails in Thailand, and around 5,000 convicts are dealing with mental health problems. Psychologists have revealed reports of anxiety and depression that is most common among prisoners sentenced for drug-related offences. A large number of offenders already suffer from mental illness before arrest while others deteriorate once they are jailed, according to the Corrections…
- Politics News
‘Yellow shirt’ leaders facing possible prison sentence
The Thai Appeals Court has upheld a previous court decision over the involvement of 5 key Thai politicians and activists in violent 2008 demonstrations. A Thai TV news presenter and 3 former leaders of the disbanded People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), widely known as the “Yellow Shirts”, face a year in jail without suspension over their involvement in the 2008…
- Thailand News
Thailand government warns of jail time for selling unripe durian
It’s durian season in Thailand, and the government is reminding farmers and vendors that they can go to jail for harvesting and selling unripe durian. Yes, they said jail. There’s even a minimum level of dryness of the fruit’s flesh set by Thai authorities to determine the freshness of each variety. Durian is known as the “king of fruit” with…
- Thailand News
Thai prisons ban alcohol-based gel after inmate dies, others hospitalised from drinking hand sanitiser
Alcohol-based hand sanitiser is being banned at Thai prisons after one inmate died, another blinded, and 31 others injured from mixing the hand gel with soft drinks to get drunk. All forms of alcohol products are typically prohibited on prison grounds, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, with major outbreaks at Thai prisons infecting tens of thousands of inmates, rules were…
- Covid-19 News
Covid-19 in prison: outbreaks from overcrowding now subsiding
The Thai prison system has suffered from an overcrowding problem for years, but the Covid-19 pandemic has starkly illustrated the dangers of it. In prisons, there have been 72,359 Covid-19 infections, making them more infected than any single province except Bangkok (1st) and its neighbours Samut Prakan (2nd) and Samut Sakhon (4th) and Chon Buri (3rd). Thailand has the 6th…
- Thailand News
Australian and American on Thai death row released from Thai death row, Supreme Court clears drug trafficking case
An Australian and Thai married couple, and an American man, who were on death row in Bangkok on charges for trafficking crystal methamphetamine have all been released from prison. A report from the Sydney Morning Herald says they had been accused of smuggling half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine for the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in Thailand. After being cleared…
- Thailand News
Justice Ministry looking for 411 people that were falsely imprisoned people, says they’re owed compensation
Today, the Justice Ministry announced it is seeking 411 people who were wrongly prosecuted and detained. The Ministry wants them to know they can be compensated for their erroneous incarcerations. The 411 people were tried and imprisoned in criminal cases but were eventually found to be not guilty and released, says Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin. 26 of the imprisoned people…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand urged to join in reducing global prisoners for Covid-19
After it was revealed that nearly 3,000 inmates in Thailand’s prison system have Covid-19, criticism and calls are mounting to follow the global trend of reducing the total number of prisoners in the country. Human rights groups are calling for the release of inmates held on minor charges, with Amnesty International Thailand requesting those in “unnecessary custody to be minimised”…
- Crime News
Thai rocker granted temporary bail after court upholds sentence
A Thai rock musician is being released on a temporary bail, after losing his appeal to the Supreme Court. Seksan Sookpimay, known as “Sek Loso,” used his alleged diagnosis of suffering from bipolar disorder as part of his appeal to be let off from serving a 42 month prison sentence for several offences dating back to New Years Eve 2017.…
- Crime News
Thais want tougher consequences for repeat drunk drivers – Dusit Poll
Thais have spoken up in a new poll saying they want tougher consequences for those who choose to drink and drive again and again. The Suan Dusit Rajabhat University Poll revealed that an overwhelming majority of Thais are in favor of harsher penalties. The survey was conducted on 2,152 participants of all ages and career levels nationwide. About 94% of…
- Thailand News
Attorney, university professors seek bail for leaders of pro-democracy Ratsadon group
An attorney, along with university professors, are seeking the release of pro-democracy leaders from jail by requesting bail at Thailand’s Criminal Court. The attorney from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Kritsadang Nutcharas, joined with professors from Bangkok’s Thammasat and Mahidol universities to request the release of 3 of the Ratsadon group’s core members. Kritsadang says the families of Rung, Penguin,…
- Thailand News
Thai anti-government group to reach outskirts of Bangkok after 250 kilometre walk
A group of pro-democracy protestors, on an almost 250 kilometre walk, are expected to reach the outskirts of Bangkok today. The group has been walking for 17 days, starting from the Thao Suranaree statue in the north east to protest the imprisonment of 9 pro-democracy demonstrators who are being denied bail. The demonstrators imprisoned include 4 protest leaders from Ratsadon.…
- Bangkok News
Thailand celebrity gets a month in jail for Covid-19 cluster birthday party at Bangkok hotel
A Thailand celebrity was sentenced to jail for charges relating to his birthday party last month that became a notorious Covid-19 cluster. The South Bangkok District Court sentenced Techin Ploypetch, known as DJ Matoom, to 2 months in jail with a fine of 20,000 baht for violating the Emergency Decree which banned social gatherings to prevent the spread of the…
- Thailand News
Transgender inmates to get more medical help in Thailand’s jails
Thailand’s transgender inmates will be getting more medical help in jails as The Department of Corrections is seeking to improve services to be in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Currently, Thailand has over 4,000 transgender inmates, or about 1% of the total prison population, spread out in 143 prisons. 1,800 of them are transvestites, 1,200 are transgender…
