A civic network stormed Parliament to demand the state take serious action against horrific crimes, calling for the retention of the death penalty, the abolition of sentence reductions and parole for perpetrators of brutal cases, and the push for a comprehensive overhaul of the justice system. Meanwhile, the Setthakit Party announced it would immediately move to amend the relevant laws.
Today (3 Aug.), Police Major General Wichai Sangkhaprai, adviser to the President of the National Assembly, together with Mr. Chris Potranandana, MP for the Setthakit Party, received a letter from Mr. Thankhun Jit-itsara, Chairman of the Santi Prachathamma Club, and a number of civic network organisations, including the Do Good Foundation, Sai Mai Tong Rot, the Be One Foundation, the Thai Mai Ton group, the Jaa Kings group, Saphan Mai, the Muslim Volunteer for Social Development Club, and the WinWin Foundation. The civic network called on the state to push for decisive measures against serious criminals who commit offences against life and sexual integrity, namely retaining the death penalty, reviewing criteria for sentence reduction, parole, and release, and strictly enforcing the Measures for Prevention of Repeated Offences Relating to Sexual Offences or Violent Offences Act 2022.
Those who submitted the letter stated that the continuing serious crimes — particularly the murder of two Russian siblings and other horrific cases involving Thai nationals — have undermined public confidence in the country's safety. They therefore proposed that the government reform the entire justice process, from prevention and investigation to prosecution, punishment, and the monitoring and supervision of released offenders. Key proposals also included abolishing sentence reductions in horrific serious cases, suspending the application of Section 52(1) in cases where it results in a death sentence being reduced to life imprisonment or a term of imprisonment, and strictly monitoring the behaviour of serious offenders after their release in order to prevent reoffending.
Ms. Angsana Niamwanichkul, MP for the Setthakit Party, said that Thailand still has a law providing for the death penalty, but it has not been enforced for nearly 10 years, even as serious crimes have continued to occur. The Setthakit Party therefore wants to push for the death penalty to be restored to its full sanctity, in order to instil fear in those who contemplate committing crimes.
Mr. Chris Potranandana, MP for the Setthakit Party, said that the current justice process is unable to inspire public confidence. The party will propose amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Although the death penalty law remains in force, it is not applied in practice. He also proposed abolishing sentence reductions for perpetrators of serious crimes, and called on the Ministry of Justice to clarify its treatment and rehabilitation measures for inmates before they are returned to society. He expressed hope that all political parties would join together to push for the amendment of those laws in the next parliamentary session.
Police Major General Wichai Sangkhaprai, for his part, said he would bring these demands to the President of the National Assembly, and emphasised that Thai law still prescribes the death penalty, and that in cases involving brutal and cruel conduct, the maximum penalty is death. He therefore called on all relevant agencies to strictly enforce the law, in order to build public confidence in the justice process and in the safety of the people.
