Thailand – Man executed by lethal injection – First since August 2009

In the past, most persons sentenced to death will have their sentence commuted to imprisonment by the King. As such, it is most ODD that Thailand after almost 9 years executed a young man... 

It was most sad especially since Thailand had observed a de facto moratorium since 2009, and in about  a year it would have been 10 years, and Thailand would have been considered an abolitionist state in practice. 

Thailand’s  third national human rights plan, covering 2014 to 2018,  is also towards the abolition of the death penalty. The plan is clear  that the state shall conduct studies on the possible abolition of the death penalty.

During this period, Thailand also abolished the mandatory death penalty for drug offences, vide the Narcotic Act 2017, which introduces more flexibility in sentencing. Previously for offences related to the import and export of Type 1 narcotic substances, or their sale, they had to give a mandatory death sentence. But in the newly amended act, the punishments include... include life imprisonment, fines of 1 million-5 million baht or death. 

MADPET urges Thailand to impose a moratorium on executions, and abolish the death penalty.

 

June 18, 2018

Man executed by lethal injection

• 18 Jun 2018 at 20:45
• WRITER: KING-OUA LAOHONG

A man has been executed, a first in eight years, according to the Corrections Department.

Teerasak Longji, 26, who was convicted of aggravated robbery, received a lethal injection at 3-6pm on Monday, said Pol Col Narat Svetanan, director-general of the department.

Teerasak robbed and killed a man in Trang province on July 17, 2012. He took a mobile phone and a wallet from the victim and stabbed him 24 times.

The first court handed down a death sentence on him, and the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court upheld it.

He was the seventh prisoner executed by lethal injection after the method replaced firing squad 15 years ago.

Since 1935, 325 convicts have been executed. Firing squad was used on 319 prisoners. The last time was on Dec 11, 2003.

Lethal injection replaced it on Dec 12, 2003. Before Teerasak, it was administered on Aug 24, 2009.

Punishments under the Thai Criminal Code are fining, asset seizures, detention, imprisonment and execution. – Bangkok Post, 18/6/2018

Director General Naras Savettanan announced that on 18 June 2018 at 15.00-18.00pm, the Department of Correction has executed a death row prisoner, Mr. Theerasak Longji, 26 years old, who cruelly murdered someone to steal on 17 July 2012 in Trang province. He assaulted, stole wallets and mobile phone, and stabbed the person 24 times to death. The case reached its final verdict by the Supreme Court. 

 

The execution was conducted according to the Section 245 of the Criminal Procedural Code, together with Section 19 of the Criminal Code, and the Ministerial Regulation of the Ministry of Justice related to the regulations and methods of execution of prisoners, which prescribes lethal injection as a method. This is the 7th prisoners who had been executed by lethal injections since the method was changed by law from shooting to applying lethal injection in 2003.

Director General also shared that since 1935, there has been 325 prisoners executed:

– 319 prisoners by shooting (last execution on 11 December 2003)
– 6 prisoners by lethal injections (first execution on 12 December 2003 and last execution on 24 August 2012

 

Death penalty is the most severe penalty in Thai law, although there are many countries that have abolished the death penalty, some countries including Thailand, US and China still retain the death penalty. These countries focuses on protecting the society and the general public from crimes more than focusing on rights and freedom of wrongdoers.The Department of Correction hopes that this execution will serve as a lesson for those who is thinking of committing serious crimes or violating the laws.

 

https://www.matichon.co.th/local/crime/news_1003984