The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) have joined hands to seek ways to reduce prison overcrowding in a country with the world's sixth-highest inmate population.
What Tingsamitr, the chairman of the NHRC, stressed the state must find ways to improve the welfare and prospects of prisoners.
"Although these inmates are justifiably imprisoned, the country should improve the law and other measures to ensure they get proper rehabilitation," he said. Kittipong Kittayarak, executive director of the TIJ, said the inmate population is on the rise. Thailand has the highest incarceration rate in Southeast Asia.
"China, India and Indonesia all have bigger populations than Thailand, yet all have fewer prisoners. Our jails now house 300,000 inmates, far exceeding the capacity of 120,000. Each prisoner has [an average] sleeping area of just 0.70 square metres, so they cannot even recline properly," he said.
Mr Kittipong said rather than reflecting the crime rate, prison overcrowding is caused by deficiencies in the justice system.
"An amendment to drug laws put more offenders behind bars. Our prisons have seen a 70% increase in male inmates and an 87% increase in female inmates, 20% of whom are incarcerated during trials," he said.
Mr Kittipong said the annual Department of Corrections budget has ballooned to 12 billion baht as a result.
"The re-offending rate is more than 30%. The problem does not lie with the Department of Corrections, but in the lopsided retribution of our justice system. Instead of focusing only on punishment, the state should combine it with rehabilitation to ensure offenders feel guilt and consideration towards victims," he said.
Mr Kittipong proposed increased use of electronic monitoring devices and other alternatives to imprisonment.