Inmates rioted at Krabi Provincial Prison on Thursday night, demanding better care following a Covid-19 outbreak.

Thanakrit Jit-areerat, Justice Ministry spokesman and secretary to the justice minister, said on Friday that about 70 inmates rioted late Thursday night. They caused damage to their cells and a workshop, set a fire and threw objects at warders.

Mr Thanakrit said the prisoners were upset over the response to a Covid-19 outbreak in the prison.

He said more than 100 inmates were infected with Covid-19 but had not been isolated because the prison had only one zone. Other prisons, moreover, had many of their own Covid-19 patients and so were unable to admit cases from Krabi prison.

The spokesman said Corrections Department director-general Ayuth Sintoppant had flown to the southern province to assess the problem in consultation with Krabi's police chief.

Mr Thanakrit said the rioters set a fire only as a symbol of their protest. They were not trying to burn down the prison.

He said the situation had been brought under control.