Bangkok: In a significant development aimed at enhancing the treatment of prisoners and aligning with international human rights standards, the Department of Corrections has launched a pilot prison to distinctly separate inmates under trial from those already convicted. The initiative was inaugurated with a ceremony led by Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, and attended by key officials including Mr. Sahakarn Petcharin, Director-General of the Department of Corrections, and Mr. Manop Chomchuen, Commander of the Bangkok Special Prison.
According to Thai News Agency, the Ministry of Justice's policy directs the Department of Corrections to treat prisoners during trial in compliance with the Constitution and international principles. This move is designed to improve the treatment of individuals presumed innocent by law and restore the rule of law in the country. The Bangkok Special Prison is serving as a model for this initiative, distinctly separating the treatment of prisoners during trial from those already sentenced, while also introducing appropriate programs for under-trial prisoners.
The initiative takes into account the needs of prisoners in terms of legal knowledge, physical and mental strength, and welfare provisions. A central prison for trial (Hub) is to be established in each province, with one prison managing under-trial prisoners and others handling convicted inmates. This pilot project spans eight provincial groups including Lampang, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pathum Thani, and Bangkok. The Bangkok Special Prison is designated to manage general and drug-related cases in the trial phase, ensuring that prisoners with sentences of less than five years are accommodated under improved conditions.
The launch event also featured an Exclusive Talk on the Establishment of the Hub Prison and a Mini Talk titled "Lost Freedom Before the Decision of Rights and Opportunities to Prove Oneself in Life Behind the Walls." Distinguished participants included Mr. Akkarakit Worarojcharoendet (Benz Racing), Mr. Phatthanapol Mintakhin (DJ Man), and Ms. Noppanan Thongkluea (Earn Wat Yai), who shared insights on prisoner treatment.
The Department of Corrections emphasizes that prisoners under trial are considered innocent under the Thai Constitution. The initiative is being expanded to other prisons, grounded in human rights principles to improve the treatment of under-trial prisoners according to international standards, ultimately benefiting the prisoners.