First convict executed in Thailand in nine years

The department of corrections has announced that a murderer has been executed by lethal injection.

It is the first judicial killing in the country since 2009.

Theerasak Longji, 26, was convicted of robbing and killing a person with a knife in Trang, southern Thailand, in July 2012. The victim was stabbed 24 times.

A phone and bag were stolen in the callous robbery.

Pol Col Narat Sewatanan, director of the department, confirmed the execution.

The sentence was carried out on Monday between 3pm and 6pm.

Thai Rath said that the corrections department hope that the execution will act as a deterrent showing that the country is still prepared to use the ultimate sanction.

It is the seventh judicial killing by lethal injection in Thailand.

Some 325 execution have taken place in the country since the 1930s.

A total of 319 people were shot and six have died by lethal injection that was introduced after the last to die by firing squad in 2003.

Thai Visa / Sanook, Thai Rath

Stay updated with Samui Times by following us on Facebook.