Thai prisons
- Thailand News
Prison food beef: Corrections dept serves defence to influencer gripe
The Department of Corrections responded to allegations made by social media influencer Nara Crepekathoei regarding the quality of prison food, asserting that it meets nutritional standards and undergoes daily quality inspections. Nara had criticised the food, describing it as bland and unpalatable, prompting the department to clarify its food preparation practices. Reports from the Bangkok Remand Prison indicate that the…
- Thailand News
New regulation allows convicts to serve time outside Thai prisons
Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong staunchly defended a new regulation permitting convicts to be detained outside of prison, addressing concerns that it might unfairly benefit former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The Department of Corrections introduced this regulation to mitigate prison overcrowding, as the current system can only accommodate 150,000 to 160,000 inmates. The current prison population in Thailand stands at approximately…
- Thailand News
Thai prisons fight fish outbreak with new menu and inmate fishing
Thai prisons are switching their menus to include black-spotted climbing perch and involving inmates in the fishing process to combat the fish outbreak, supporting government efforts to mitigate the issue’s impact on the public. The Department of Corrections acknowledged the widespread distress caused by the black-spotted climbing perch outbreak. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has directed all ministries and agencies to…
- Thailand News
Thai-ed up: British man’s terrifying prison ordeal in Thailand
A British man from Birmingham revealed the harrowing tale of his five-month ordeal in a Thai prison, labelling the conditions as inhumane and horrendous. Jamie Morton was teaching English in Thailand when he got entangled in the local drug and alcohol scene. In January 2019, Morton was accosted by eight individuals on a street corner, who then whisked him away…
- Thailand News
From Down Under to Bangkok Hilton: An Aussie woman’s harrowing tale
An Australian woman who spent seven gruelling years in a Thai prison for heroin trafficking revealed the appalling conditions she endured in the so-called Bangkok Hilton. Holly Deane-Johns, then 29, was caught trying to mail a parcel of heroin to her family in Perth. Facing the death penalty, she was instead sentenced to 31 years in the infamous Lardyao Women’s…
- Thailand News
Transgender woman faces 25 years behind bars for lese majeste
A transgender woman has been slammed with a hefty 25-year prison sentence for lese majeste and computer crimes. In a swift ruling from the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court, the 26 year old defendant, Maggie, faced the grim reality of her fate today. Lawyers from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) disclosed details of the verdict, shedding light on a case fraught…
- Thailand News
Prison warden commits suicide at Nakhon Si Thammarat
A warden at Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison was found dead by senior officials. Police Colonel Sanpong Chansing, superintendent of Phra Phrom Police Station, Nakhon Si Thammarat province received a report from senior officials at Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison that a correctional officer committed suicide inside a room on the fourth floor of the building on the side wing of…
- Thailand News
Ex-con released from jail recalled to finish his porridge after gaff
An ex-con legally released seven months ago has been recalled to the jail in the northern province of Payao after a gaff by the Department of Corrections (DOC). He refuses to return. The DOC admitted they made a mistake and wrongly calculated the years of imprisonment so recalled the former convict to finish his porridge. Teeraphat Sophon was originally jailed…
- Thailand News
Prison guard under investigation for blackmail
After a guard at the Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institute in Bangkok was suspected of corruption and bribery, an investigation is now underway. In return for alleged special treatment, the guard wanted money from the family of a prisoner. The guard, who has not been named, is now suspended during the investigation and will be fired if proven guilty. Somsak Thepsuthin,…
- Thailand News
Thai government promises to eradicate forced prison labour following exposé
The Thai government has vowed to end forced labour in the country’s prisons, following an exposé by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The foundation’s investigation revealed shocking abuses in the Thai prison system, with inmates forced to make fishing nets for private companies for as little as 30 baht a month. Some said they did not get paid at all. Prisoners…
- Thailand News
Thai officials warn prisons over forced fishing net labour
Following a December investigation by Thomson Reuters Foundation about abuse of Thai prisoners forced to make fishing nets, officials are warning prisons. The investigation found that prison guards beat prisoners who didn’t meet certain targets, and disallowed them to shower. Prisoners were also not paid minimum wage, and sometimes not paid at all. In February, 31 Thai and international rights…
- Thailand News
Rights groups urge United States to ban fishing nets made by Thai prisoners
A December investigation by the the Thomson Reuters foundation discovered that jails across Thailand are illegally forcing prisoners to make fishing nets for private companies, including those that export to the United States. Former prisoners Reuters interviewed said guards beat them, disallowed them to shower, and pushed back their release dates if they didn’t meet strict targets. Now, Thai and…
- Thailand News
Vaccinations accelerated for inmates following Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons
More than 74,000 inmates at Thailand’s overcrowded prisons and detention centres have tested positive for Covid-19 over the past several months, which is about a fourth of the total number of prisoners in the country. Correctional facilities stopped allowing visits earlier this year and vaccinations have been accelerated. According to Nation Thailand, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said prisons will start…
- Covid-19 News
Tuesday Covid Update: 20,128 new cases and 239 deaths
20,128 new Covid-19 cases and 239 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 20,791 people have recovered from a Covid infection in the 24 hours since the last report. There are now 210,032 active Covid-19 cases. In the latest and most severe wave of the virus in Thailand, first recorded on April 1, the CCSA…
- Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE: 22,086 new infections, provincial totals
The Thai public health department announced another 22,086 new infections to Thailand’s total. 270 of today’s cases stem from the Thai prison system. 217 Covid-related deaths were also announced. 23,672 people were released from hospital care. 60% of people who died in the past 24 hours were 60 years old plus. 18 of the total died at home. The median age…
- Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE Saturday: 217 Covid-related deaths, news briefs
This morning the Thai public health department announced another 22,086 new infections to Thailand’s total. 270 of today’s cases stem from the Thai prison system. 217 Covid-related deaths were also announced. 23,672 people were released from hospital care. Provincial totals will be announced early this afternoon. • According to the Ministry of Public Health, Covid-19 patients in Thailand are taking…
- Covid-19 News
Tuesday Covid Update: 5,420 new cases and 57 deaths
5,420 new Covid-19 cases and 57 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. In the latest and most severe wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, 265,790 infections have been recorded by the CCSA since April 1. Out of the new cases confirmed today, 37 were found in correctional facilities. The current wave spread to Thailand’s overcrowded…
- Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 3,174 new cases and 51 deaths
3,174 new Covid-19 cases and an uptick of 51 coronavirus-related deaths recorded by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today. In the recent and most severe wave of infections, the CCSA has reported 199,626 Covid-19 infections since April 1. Out of the new cases recorded today, 36 were found in correctional facilities, a downward trend after more than 30,000 inmates…
- Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE: 3,277 new infections and 29 deaths, provincial totals
There are another 29 Covid-related deaths and 3,277 new infections announced today. 892 of today’s cases were from Thai prisons, an ongoing source of infections where around 22,000+ inmates have now been detected as new Covid cases (more below). Here’s the provincial totals for today… • Meanwhile the Thai Justice Ministry says the start of a vaccine rollout in the…
- Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE Saturday: 3,277 new infections and 29 deaths
The public health ministry has announced another 29 Covid-related deaths and 3,277 new infections for Saturday. 892 of today’s cases have been from Thai prisons, an ongoing source of infections where around 22,000+ inmates have now been detected as new Covid cases. • Meanwhile the Thai Justice Ministry says the start of a vaccine rollout in the overcrowded prisons started…
- Thailand News
Nearly 30,000 Covid-19 infections at Thai prisons in recent wave
Nearly 30,000 people at Thai prisons have tested positive for Covid-19 in the latest wave of infections. There are now 13,392 active coronavirus cases at 12 correctional facilities in Thailand, according to the Department of Corrections. 534 new cases and 3 coronavirus-related deaths at prisons were reported today. In the latest wave of infections in Thailand, 29,734 cases have been…
- Covid-19 News
Wednesday Covid Update: 3,440 new cases and 38 deaths
3,440 new Covid-19 cases and 38 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the latest wave of infections in Thailand, the CCSA has recorded a total of 136,599. Out of the new cases, 1,087 were detected in correctional facilities. Thousands of inmates at more than a dozen Thai prisons have contracted the…
- Thailand News
Friday Covid Update: 3,759 new cases and 34 deaths, provincial totals
3,759 new Covid-19 infections and 34 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Since April 1, the CCSA has reported a total of 116,113 Covid-19 cases. There are now 46,150 active cases in Thailand. Out of the new cases, 1,294 infections were found in Thai prisons. Over the past month, 14 correctional facilities have reported…
- Covid-19 News
Over 1,200 new infections found across 14 Thai prisons
The Corrections Department has confirmed that another 1,228 Covid-19 cases have been reported across 14 prisons around the country. According to a Bangkok Post report, Veerakit Harnpariyan from the department adds that another 2,054 patients have recovered, while 16,319 are being treated at prison facilities. Veerakit has also responded to reports on social media about a man who was found…
- Thailand News
Some inmates to be released on parole following Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons
With thousands of inmates infected with Covid-19 at several Thailand prisons, the Department of Corrections is now tackling its longstanding problem at prisons… overcrowding. There’s now talk within the department of possibly granting some prisoners parole, or at least reducing their sentences as a short-term measure to reduce the overcrowding. Others in court detention, while awaiting trial, might be released…
- Covid-19 News
Covid UPDATE: 3,095 new infections, 17 deaths, provincial totals
The Thai public health ministry has announced 3,095 new cases of Covid-19 along with 17 new deaths from the past 24 hours of provincial totals. 877 of the new infections emerged from Thai prisons again after 3 days of reports with high numbers of cases coming out of key Bangkok prisons. Provincial totals below. • The CCSA has announced adjustments…
- Covid-19 News
Saturday Covid UPDATE: 3,095 new infections, 17 deaths
The Thai public health ministry has announced 3,095 new cases of Covid-19 along with 17 new deaths from the past 24 hours of provincial totals. 877 of the new infections emerged from Thai prisons again after 3 days of reports with high numbers of cases coming out of key Bangkok prisons. • Diners may be able to eat at Dark…
- Covid-19 News
Prison officials say activist Panusaya did not get Covid while behind bars
The Corrections Department says the recently released pro-democracy activist, Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, aka, “Rung”, did not contract Covid-19 in prison. The 22 year old protest leader confirmed she was infected earlier this week. She was released from Bangkok’s Central Women’s Correctional Institution on May 6. The Bangkok Post reports Weerakit Harnpariphan from the Corrections Department as saying Panusaya was in quarantine…
- Covid-19 News
Curfew violators made to volunteer at temples
As Thailand’s already crowded prisons struggle to cope with an influx of a new type of criminal, the “curfew violator”, the Department of Probation has come up with a novel solution – send them to the temples. Thailand has had a national curfew in place since the establishment of the country’s emergency decree on March 26. Initially it was from…
- South Thailand News
CCTV footage from Thai prison posted on Youtube live – VIDEO
It’s no secret that Thai prisons are a place you should avoid. Cramped, dangerous, hot, unsanitary. Even the notorious Bang Kwang Central Prison in Bangkok has earned the name ‘Bangkok Hilton’, mocking its less-than-confortable living conditions. Now some leaked CCTV footage from a prison in Chumpon, southern Thailand, has been leaked and shared on YouTube. Channel 31 reporting of the footage below……
