The 130 male and 17 female prisoners released were welcomed by hundreds of friends and family members waiting outside the prison gate, Prison Director Somkid Khamang explained.
“They embraced each other and wept with joy,” he added.
The mass release of the inmates was a gift from HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn after he ascended the throne in November, Chief Somkid noted.
He also pointed out that the the inmates released were light offenders only.
“All the prisoners released were handed down sentences of no more than one third of the maximum penalty, he noted.
“And nearly all them were serving short sentences for drugs, light criminal offences, sex offences and theft,” Chief Somkid added.
However, none of those released from Phuket Prison were foreigners, he noted.
Under the decree announcing the royal pardon, eligible inmates are those sentenced to no more than three months in jail for minor offences, prisoners who do community or public service instead of paying fines, and prisoners released on parole, as well as the disabled and blind, those suffering from cancer, leprosy, HIV, chronic kidney failure, mental disorders, and first-time prisoners who are not 20 years of age on the day the decree comes into effect.
Around 100,000 prisoners nationwide qualified for the royal pardon, as announced on Dec 11, with 30,000 likely to be released. The other 70,000 will see their sentences reduced. (See story here.)
Meanwhile, there are currently 1,590 inmates still incarcerated at the prison, Chief Somkid noted.