Thailand’s Cabinet approved changes to its criminal code this week with the goal of lessening the country’s prison overcrowding problem.
The amendment alters Thailand’s Criminal Procedure Act so that those facing 5-9 years in prison no longer have to pay a bail deposit before being granted a temporary release, a huge win for poor people who face lesser charges.
Now only those suspected of crimes with potential sentences of more than 10 years will be subject to bail payments.
According to the Institute of Criminal Policy Research, Thailand has the highest incarceration rate in Asia with over 300,000 prisoners in its penal system, which is the third highest number of total prisoners in the region, trailing only China and India.
Leading expert in Thailand criminal law, Jiraporn Thongphong sees the new amendment as a welcome change, stating that Thailand’s inmates routinely face unhealthy and cramped living situations while being locked up due to overcrowding.
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