Thai prisons

  • Thailand NewsBanged up: Thai prison nightmare exposed by British tourist

    Banged up: Thai prison nightmare exposed by British tourist

    A British tourist revealed the grim conditions banged up in a Thai prison and issued a chilling warning to fellow travellers about the reality of being detained abroad. The 29 year old former soldier, who wished to remain anonymous, endured a 15-day ordeal in two police cells and a Bangkok deportation centre after overstaying his visa, a blunder he deeply…

  • Thailand NewsPrison food beef: Corrections dept serves defence to influencer gripe

    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 NewsNew regulation allows convicts to serve time outside Thai prisons

    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 NewsThai prisons fight fish outbreak with new menu and inmate fishing

    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 NewsPDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban’s jail time drastically reduced

    PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban’s jail time drastically reduced

    The Appeals Court upheld the convictions of key People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leaders, including Suthep Thaugsuban, but significantly reduced their prison sentences. Suthep Thaugsuban and Thavorn Senniam, initially handed hefty sentences by the Criminal Court, saw their prison terms cut to just one year each. Sawat Charoenphol, Suthep’s lawyer, stated that the Appeals Court made this decision without providing…

  • Thailand NewsFrom Down Under to Bangkok Hilton: An Aussie woman’s harrowing tale

    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 NewsTransgender woman faces 25 years behind bars for lese majeste

    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 NewsPrison warden commits suicide at Nakhon Si Thammarat

    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 NewsCorrections Dept. to sue Thai talk show for creating fake news

    Corrections Dept. to sue Thai talk show for creating fake news

    A female talk show host faces up to a year in prison after insulting the Department of Corrections and spreading fake news about Thai prisons. On August 31, the Thai talk show, Unfold a Secret or Chae (แฉ), invited a female influencer, Leena Jangjanja, to host a discussion about the Forex-3D scam involving a leading Thai actress, Savika “Pinky” Chaiyadej.…

  • Thailand NewsPrison guard under investigation for blackmail

    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 NewsThai government promises to eradicate forced prison labour following exposé

    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 NewsThai officials warn prisons over forced fishing net labour

    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 NewsDepartment of Corrections denies Reuters forced labour story

    Department of Corrections denies Reuters forced labour story

    The Department of Corrections is striking back after a story by Reuters last week painted a brutal portrait of forced labour, violence, and coercion in Thailand’s prison system. The department denied things like threatening and physically assaulting inmates existed and that prisoners aren’t forced to work as mentioned in the Reuters article. The article painted a picture of inmates in…

  • Thailand NewsVaccinations accelerated for inmates following Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons

    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 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 20,128 new cases and 239 deaths

    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 NewsCovid UPDATE: 22,086 new infections, provincial totals

    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…

  • Thailand NewsThousands of inmates granted royal pardon on HM the King’s birthday

    Thousands of inmates granted royal pardon on HM the King’s birthday

    On his 69th birthday, HM the King granted a royal pardon to more than 200,000 prison inmates and convicts on house arrest. 35,000 of them from 143 prisons will be released on parole while prison sentences for the others will be reduced. Under the 2021 Royal Pardon Royal Decree imposed today, pardons will be granted within the next 120 days,…

  • Covid-19 NewsTuesday Covid Update: 5,420 new cases and 57 deaths

    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 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 3,174 new cases and 51 deaths

    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 NewsCovid UPDATE: 3,277 new infections and 29 deaths, provincial totals

    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 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 2,669 new cases, provincial totals

    Wednesday Covid Update: 2,669 new cases, provincial totals

    Although the daily Covid count remains high, with 2,680 new Covid-19 cases and 35 coronavirus-related deaths reported today by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the number of active cases have decreased. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun, who gives the daily Covid situation report in English, says that today more recoveries were reported than new cases, with the…

  • Thailand NewsNearly 30,000 Covid-19 infections at Thai prisons in recent wave

    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 NewsWednesday Covid Update: 3,440 new cases and 38 deaths

    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 NewsFriday Covid Update: 3,759 new cases and 34 deaths, provincial totals

    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 NewsCovid UPDATE: 3,481 new cases and 32 deaths, provincial totals

    Covid UPDATE: 3,481 new cases and 32 deaths, provincial totals

    3,481 new Covid-19 cases and 32 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. There are now 42,827 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 123,066 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 735 virus-related deaths. Out of the new cases, 1,036 infections were…

  • Thailand NewsSome inmates to be released on parole following Covid-19 outbreaks at prisons

    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 NewsCovid UPDATE: 3,095 new infections, 17 deaths, provincial totals

    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 NewsSaturday Covid UPDATE: 3,095 new infections, 17 deaths

    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…

  • Thailand video newsThailand News Today | Prison release?, Pattaya Makeover, 6 new Covid cases | October 2

    Thailand News Today | Prison release?, Pattaya Makeover, 6 new Covid cases | October 2

    Justice Minister proposes releasing chronically ill inmates to reduce prison overcrowding In an effort to reduce overcrowding in Thailand prisons, the Justice Ministry is looking into allowing chronically ill inmates to be released on a royal pardon. There’s also talk of shortening sentences for those incarcerated on drug charges. Overcrowding has been a problem at Thailand’s prisons, especially now more…

  • Covid-19 NewsCurfew violators made to volunteer at temples

    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…