Time to stop the torture

Two horror stories from the justice system point once again the urgent need for intervention and reform. Two men are dead in separate incidents. Corrections officials admit that a prisoner in the Samut Prakan Central Prison was horrifically beaten in a “discipline session” shortly before his death was reported. In Buri Ram, meanwhile, a man arrested for poaching — and denied bail — died from what medical examiners said were spleen injuries and “massive” blood loss.

In an unfortunately predictable failure of responsibility, the officers present at the two deaths told stories at wild variance with the evidence. When accused poacher Jamnong Kroaking, 39, died in the Buri Ram incident, police said his death was caused by his heavy drinking and loss of appetite. Forensic examination at Buri Ram Hospital and an autopsy at Srinagarind Hospital in Khon Kaen said that was nonsense. They found Jamnong died as a direct result of physical assault.

The Jamnong death took place after he was arrested in possession of pelts and more than 500 kilogrammes of carcasses of wild gaur. He was detained inside the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary. He and another man were in police custody. Naturally, since he was not a person of means, Jamnong was unable to get bail. Police in Buri Ram have so far not provided the public with details of Jamnong’s death beyond the incredible claim that it was due to excessive drinking.

Warders at the Samut Prakan prison, meanwhile, claimed that Pattanachirapong Boonyasema, 34, had died when he choked on his food. This claim has been effectively rejected by the one person in this sordid tale of torture and violence who has shown integrity. Narat Sawettanan, the directorgeneral of the Corrections Department ordered the removal of the warden and warders on duty so that an honest investigation could take place. He said it appeared that Pattanachirapong had received “excessive” discipline after warders found evidence of drug selling inside the prison.

Both of these cases deserve meticulous investigation and the glare of the public spotlight. They could be proof of what many believe is the ongoing torture of men and women under state control in police lockups or in prisons. Violent, sometimes barbaric treatment of prisoners has been often reported from inside the justice system. The military regime has denied any such violence takes place, but the reports continue.

Thanks to the honesty of Mr Narat, the public has a gained some knowledge of what goes on behind the walls of prisons. The late Pattanachirapong, for example, was subjected immediately prior to his death to half a day of “strenuous military type discipline”. This specifically involves warders hitting prisoners, an act that should have been banned decades ago, but amazingly is not just tolerated but enforced both for troublesome military members and prisoners.

As of last Aug 1, Thai prisons and official detention facilities held 307,500 people. The places they are held have a maximum design capacity of 210,000, or 220,000 at a pinch. Overcrowding alone is going to create problems. In the year ending Sept 30, 2017, there were 521 deaths in official custody — 35 in police custody, and 486 in the custody of the Department of Corrections. This was actually a major decline from the previous 12 months, when the toll stood at 762.

Several years ago, the Corrections Department ordered shackles removed from almost all prisoners. This resulted in better behaviour and fewer disciplinary problems.

No one is suggesting prisoners should be pampered. The Corrections Department holds hundreds, if not thousands of highly dangerous and violent men and women. But all are under state control, and authorities have a responsibility not to beat or harm their charges — and certainly not torture them. The 2016 constitution forbids torture of any kind, and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha could gain more respect by enforcing that prohibition strongly.