On-line Computer System
So as to improve the management on corrections to catch up
with the world’s
technological progress, the Department of Corrections is now operating the on-line
computer system. With the ß114-milliom-budget,
the project shall be studied and carried on during year 2002 – 2004. This on-line
computer system shall provide network among the headquarters and 148 prisons
across the country. Prisoner’s
fingerprint shall be kept and accessed to by digital system, and the past,
present or future information of inmates and concerned data shall be
computerized. This is considered as an important step of bringing technology to
develop correctional management.
Therapeutic Community or TC is one of drug treatment programs that the Department of Corrections has brought to the treatment of drug addicted inmates since 1993. The program had firstly been operated at correctional institutions for drug addicts and then was extended to other prisons that have a number of drug addicted inmates in custody. TC in prison is a well-patterned treatment program aiming to help drug offenders to quit drug using permanently by the support from peer group and families. It is one of the countermeasures to prevent recidivism.
After having operated TC in prisons for a period of time, the Department of Corrections has evaluated the program management and has set out the appropriate model of drug treatment in prisons called “CARE Model” (C: Corrections, A: Addiction, and RE: Rehabilitation). The model is now operated and applied to drug addicted inmates in prisons. The Department has also established one institute in Nakorn Rachasima Province responsible particularly for TC program named “Klong Pai Therapeutic Community Center”. At the moment being, there are 393 inmates receiving the treatment program in this center.
Rehabilitation in the Military Camp
Overcrowding and the increasing number of drug offenders are
two major problems that the Department of Corrections has been encountering. The
Thai government has recognized these particular problems and has established a
policy to provide drug treatment program to drug prisoners in the military camp
as part of a solution to the problem. Qualified prisoners are to be selected and
sent to receive rehabilitative treatment program run by the military. This
project is the cooperation among government agencies aiming to solve
overcrowding problem in prisons and to seek appropriate treatment for drug
offenders. At first stage, 5000 drug prisoners were sent to 25 military camps
across the country.
Further to the initial project, the Corrections Department and the Ministry of Defense shall cooperate to provide agricultural training program to drug prisoners in the military camp. There will be 47 military camps to operate the project. Agricultural training as well as rehabilitative activities shall be provided to the residents until the termination of their sentence term. Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare shall also take part in this program.
Drug Rehabilitation Act B.E. 2534 has been enacted since 1991, yet it has not come into force in terms of implementation due to the unavailability of appropriate facilities to provide drug treatment program to drug users. Therefore, a lot of drug abusers are arrested and sent to imprisonment in prisons and correctional institutions. Efforts have been made by various
agencies including the Department of Corrections to push this Act to become applicable. It is quite likely that if the Act came into force, prison population should diminish constantly, since drug abusers would not be arrested and sent to prisons, but would receive treatment program in specific facilities. However, at present circumstances, the government is under the process of drug testing to identify drug addiction, while the Department of Probation, a responsible agency, is still unable to provide facilities for drug offenders. The Department of Corrections is assigned to intake these offenders until the Department of Probation is ready to perform this task. In order to manage the activity in accordance with the Drug Rehabilitation Act, the Corrections Department has assigned one prison in each province to be a facility to intake the drug offenders.
For further information, please contact:
Foreign Affairs Section
Department of Corrections
222 Nonthaburi 1 Road
Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
Tel: 66-2-9673381
Fax: 66-2-9672408
Website: www.correct.go.th
E-mail: penology@thailand.com