People Wrongly Jailed for Possessing Small Amount of Drugs, Academics Say

IT IS HIGH TIME Thailand amends its drug laws so as to ease prison crowding and stop putting so many undeserving people behind bars, a recent seminar was told.

Assoc Prof Sungsidh Piriyarangsan, dean of Rangsit University's College of Social Innovation, believes that more than 90 per cent of drug convicts should not be in jail.

Speaking at the seminar held by his college, Sungsidh said a large number of drug offenders were sent to prison only because Thai laws made it possible for people caught with a very small amount of drugs to get a trafficking conviction.

[continues 481 words]