Department of corrections suspends 7,890 prison sentences

Thailand’s Director-General of the Thai Department of Corrections, Police Colonel Naras Savestanan has announced that he will speed up the process of granting suspended sentences or reducing prison terms to qualified inmates across Thailand.

Inmates who have faced minor offences and demonstrated good behaviour during their incarceration must also be included in the process.

“The number of inmates receiving suspended sentences for the period is twice the normal release rate, which will also help to reduce the chances of the Covid-19 virus spreading among inmates in prison.”

“No high-profile inmates or those who have committed serious crimes are eligible for suspended sentences.”

Meanwhile, in Pathum Thani just north of the capital, 458 people are eligible for suspended sentences.

Colonel Naras says “Any prisoners with Covid-19-like symptoms recently sent to Betong prison in Yala province for drug offences have been tested negative for the disease. However, in the nearby province of Pattani, tests have been carried out on a number of sick inmates in the provincial prison.”

The Chief of the Department reports that “there are no new infections of Covid-19 among inmates this week and two inmates and one prison officer who has been infected are undergoing treatment. The location of the prison has been withheld.”

“Prisons have maintained a higher standard of hygiene across the country, and wardens report that they are constantly on the lookout for any inmates who fall ill.”

From October last year to March of this year, 7,890 inmates were sentenced to suspended sentences. They were released in two batches per month, according to Colonel Prawut Wongsrinil, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Corrections.

SOURCE:Phuket News

Stay updated with Samui Times by following us on Facebook.