After two years of the drug reform debate, the new amendments to the drug law took effect in mid January 2017. The reform debate was fueled by Thailand’s issues with prison overcrowding and a reputation of the highest rate of female incarceration in the world, mainly for minor drug offenses reports the IDPC.
The National Assembly has decided on reducing the punishments for import/export, possession and production for sale. Another significant amendment is that those caught with possession are not immediately reprimanded with intent of selling but may have a “rebuttable presumption”. This will increase the need for criminal defense lawyers in Thailand.
Amendments to the import/export and the sale of drugs have decreased from the death penalty to imprisonment, ranging from ten years to life. However, in the case of selling drugs the death penalty may still incur.
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