Nine civic groups demand tougher penalties for repeat offenders

Nine civic networks have petitioned Parliament to seek stricter punishment for serious murder and sexual-violence offences, including greater use of the death penalty and tighter controls on repeat offenders after their release.

The petition was submitted at Parliament on August 3 by representatives led by Tankhun Jitt-itsara, chairman of the Santi Prachatham Club, together with the Pen Nueng Foundation, Saimai Survive and six other civic groups.

Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangprapai, an adviser to the president of the House of Representatives, received the petition alongside Thai Economic Party leader Kris Potranandana and party-list MP Angsana Niamvanichkul.

The nine groups were the Santi Prachatham Club, Pen Nueng Foundation, Saimai Survive, Do D Foundation, People for People Group, Ja King Saphan Mai Group, Muslim Volunteers for Social Development, Win Win Foundation and Thai Mai Thon Group.

The petition urged the government to enforce capital punishment in particularly serious murder cases, especially when offenders have a record of repeated criminal behaviour.

Groups seek review of sentence reductions

Tankhun called for tougher action against offenders convicted of serious crimes involving violence against life or sexual offences.

He also asked authorities to review sentence reductions, parole and release procedures, while more strictly enforcing the Prevention of Repeat Offending in Sexual or Violent Offences Act 2022.

The groups argued that repeated reductions could leave some prisoners serving only a small part of their original sentences, weakening public confidence in the justice system.

They called for a review of the application of Section 52(1) in particularly serious cases, including provisions under which a death sentence may be reduced to life imprisonment or other prison terms subsequently shortened through further sentence reductions.

Tankhun linked the campaign to recent killings involving two Russian siblings living in Thailand and Thai victims, arguing that serious crimes had affected perceptions of public safety among residents and overseas visitors.

He called for crime prevention and public safety to be treated as a national priority, covering law enforcement, prosecution, sentencing, imprisonment, rehabilitation, parole and post-release supervision.

Technology and post-release controls proposed

The civic groups proposed using artificial intelligence, CCTV cameras, drones, social-media networks and community volunteers to identify and monitor people considered potentially dangerous.

They suggested that surveillance should focus particularly on sensitive locations such as schools, educational institutions and major tourist destinations.

The petition also called for people released after serving sentences for serious offences to remain under close supervision by the Department of Probation.

Electronic monitoring devices were proposed as one measure for tracking high-risk individuals and reducing the possibility of repeat offences.

The groups also called for more effective rehabilitation and behavioural treatment for people convicted of serious violent crimes.

Chalida Phalamat, known as Ton Or, referred to her work involving children and women affected by violence and argued that people convicted of repeated serious offences should not receive sentence reductions merely because of good behaviour in prison.

Other civic representatives questioned whether existing rehabilitation and release systems adequately protected victims and the wider public from repeat offenders.

Party seeks legislative support

Angsana said Thailand already retained the death penalty in law but had not carried out an execution for nearly a decade.

She argued that repeated serious offences showed a need to strengthen enforcement and restore public confidence in the deterrent effect of criminal penalties.

Kris described the existing justice process as ineffective in dealing with serious repeat offenders and said the Economic Party would seek amendments to criminal procedure legislation.

He also proposed ending sentence reductions for people convicted of particularly serious offences, including serious corruption cases.

The party currently has three MPs, while 25 parliamentary signatures would be required to submit the proposed amendment, Kris said.

Alternatively, members of the public could pursue a legislative proposal by collecting 10,000 signatures.

Kris said the proposal could be placed on the House agenda when Parliament reconvenes in late August and estimated that legislation could take effect within a year if it secured sufficient support.