Rapin Nichanon, the director of Phuket Prison, explained, “The royal decree stipulates that the prisoners must be released within 90 days. The first batch consists of 140 prisoners from the prison in Phuket Town and the facility in Baan Bang Jo in Thalang.”
Those being released in the first batch are people with less than a year remaining of their sentences, along with elderly, disabled or chronically ill prisoners. “There is also a woman who was serving a first-time sentence,” he said.
Mr Rapin added, “We are planning for a second batch of prisoners to be released next month but we don’t know yet how many.”
A special ceremony will be held to mark the release of the first batch. “We have invited the Governor to preside. We are just waiting for the court documents to arrive.”
Nationwide, 26,000 prisoners will be released, 12,000 on Thursday and the remainder in the following three months.