CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT
KING-OUA LAOHONG & THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA
Up to 1,000 of the country's most serious drug offenders will soon be sent to a new prison equipped with high-tech security to prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs into the cells.
The Corrections Department has failed to prevent illegal substances being sneaked into prisons. Officials seize less than 10% of the drugs being smuggled in, according to Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat.
The new high-tech maximum security prison will be built at the Klong Pai Central Prison complex in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
It will have equipment to block mobile phone signals and the security will be high-tech, at the level seen in developed countries, a source at the department said. Other details of the new prison were not revealed.
"The first batch of serious drug offenders, from No 1 to No 1,000, will be jailed in this high-tech prison which will cut off any contact between prisoners and drug dealers on the outside," said the minister.
Eight other existing prisons will also be upgraded to maximum security to accommodate serious drug offenders, said Mr Sompong.
The eight are Khaobin Central Prison in Ratchaburi, Khong Prem Central Prison and Bang Kwang Central in Bangkok, Phitsanulok Central Prison, Klong Pai Central Prison, Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison, Rayong Central Prison and Chon Buri Central Prison.
The department also plans to build 29 new prisons to solve the problem of overcrowding, said Mr Sompong.
The Treasury Department will be asked to build the new prisons, which will be leased out to the Corrections Department for 30 years.
Corrections Department chief Nathee Jitsawang said the new high-tech prison is now in the designing stage.
Each of the improved prisons would be able to accommodate 400 to 500 serious drug offenders, said Mr Nathee.
The Justice Ministry has also agreed with the idea of using light punishment measures, which include electronic chips to monitor convicted felons instead of jailing them, he said.
It has ordered the drafting of legislation to amend the Criminal Code regarding the use of electronic devices on inmates convicted of light offences, he added.
The use of such devices as electronic monitoring chips would help reduce the workload on warders and provide an alternative for inmates sentenced to light punishment, he said.
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