Activists have poured scorn on a plan to put low-risk prisoners to work on fishing trawlers in a bid to ease overcrowding in jails.

Surapong Kongchanthuek, a human rights lawyer attached to the Lawyers Council of Thailand, said he backs work programmes for prisoners, but warned jobs on fishing trawlers are “not a good idea”.

The government plan is an attempt to ease prison overcrowding and improve the fishing industry, notorious for using trafficked workers.

“Even though participation in the programme is voluntary, I don’t think prisoners have real choices — when they have to choose between jail or work on a fishing boat,” he said.

Mr Surapong said sending prisoners to sea will not help prepare them for release, claiming inmates should be given training inside a closed facility such as a factory.

“By obtaining work experience in a factory, they would acquire skills and have a chance to adapt to the outside environment before their release,” he said.

Action Network for Migrants representative Sathian Thanprom said the policy raises questions over occupational risks and how inmates would be monitored after they ship out. He argued that using electronic monitoring devices to track inmates would do more harm than good.

“If they have to wear something to show their ‘inmate’ status, I don’t think they will be interested. It’s better for them to wait until they leave prison, so they can work without anyone knowing they are ex-convicts,” he said.

Justice permanent secretary Chatchawal Sumsomjit said the government is ready to roll out the programme, which has been backed by Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya and Labour Minister Surasak Karnjanarat. He said that participation in the programme will be voluntary, adding inmates can seek other jobs if they don’t want to work on fishing boats.

Pol Gen Chatchawal said the project has the potential to help solve prison overcrowding while also eliminating the problem of forced labour and human trafficking in the fishing sector.

Thailand has 143 prisons holding 320,000 people across the country.

Corrections Department director-general Witthaya Suriyawong said he has discussed the scheme with the Fishing Trawlers Association and received positive feedback.

He said the department has also approached the industrial sector for cooperation on other work programmes for prisoners.

Amata Industrial Estate in Chon Buri is the first to agree to hire prisoners and pay them wages, he said, adding that inmate workers will have the opportunity to develop vital skills before they are deleased.

 

Phubet Chanthanimi, chairman of the Fishing Association of Thailand, said he and others in the fishing industry are willing to support the work programme for inmates.

“It is something we should support. We give migrant workers with no papers or identification the chance to work. The inmates deserve it too,” he said.

He claimed working conditions on fishing trawlers are not as bad as most people believe, saying that fishing operators have strict rules they must abide to.

Commenting on wider efforts to tackle prison overcrowding, Mr Witthaya said the justice minister has a plan to separate “big-time” drug offenders from “small-time” dealers.

The Office of Narcotics Control Board has been asked to make a list of major drug traffickers and low-level dealers so the department can sort the offenders, he said.

Of all 320,000 prisoners nationwide, 70% or 200,000 are locked up on drug-related charges. Of these, 100,000 are users or small-time dealers.

Pol Gen Chatchawal said the Justice Ministry has spent 74 million baht on 3,000 tracking bracelets for use in 22 provinces.
The electronic monitoring tags will enable authorities to track offenders using GPS technology. Pol Gen Chatchawal said judges will be allowed to decide whether offenders can be released from prison early if they wear the electronic tags.

By: King-Oua Laohong and Penchan Charoensuthipan, The Bangkok Post