"Prison"

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin announced the vaccine rollout in Thailand’s overcrowded prisons on Thursday, where more than 22,000 inmates have tested positive for Covid-19 during the latest wave.

The Department of Corrections on Saturday started vaccinating prisoners at Min Buri Remand Prison in a bid to control the spread of Covid-19 among inmates.

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin says about 50,000 prisoners could be released next month as part of urgent plans to tackle the explosion of Covid-19 in Thai prisons.

As many as 9,783 prisoners in eight prisons nationwide tested positive for Covid-19 after the Department of Corrections began testing inmates between May 12 and 16, a news source said on Monday.

All officials and prisoners who had contracted Covid-19 in Narathiwat prison had recovered on Sunday, officials said.

Detained pro-democracy activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, who has been on a protest fast for over a month over being denied bail, was admitted to hospital on Friday evening, the corrections department said.

Narathiwat authorities informed the Ministry of Interior on Saturday that 112 inmates in Narathiwat prison had tested positive for Covid-19.

Detained pto-democracy protester Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak's fast entered the 11th day on Saturday, and he was still able to talk and write, the Facebook page of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group updated on Saturday.

Detained pro-democracy leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak declared a hunger strike on Monday, as the trial of 22 activists got underway at the Bangkok Criminal Court.

Three leaders of the pro-democracy Ratsadon group -- Panasaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa, and Panupong “Mike” Jadnok -- were denied bail by the Criminal Court on Monday and were transported to Bangkok Remand Prison and Central Women Correctional Institution at around 3.30pm.

The chief of Klong Prem Central Prison has been transferred to the Corrections Department for failing to stop the burning of His Majesty’s portrait outside the prison.

Yarisa (last name withheld), the girlfriend of Bottom Blues singer Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpan, was arrested by police at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday night as she was set to board a flight to Japan.