Thailand to webcast last moments of death-row prisoners

[dr. what]

CBC News

BANGKOK - Thailand plans to stream live webcasts of prison life – including the last minutes of an inmate before he's executed – to try to deter criminals.

Cameras have already been set up at Bangkwang maximum-security prison in Bangkok, which houses more than 6,000 inmates, Thai Corrections officials said Monday.

"From now on people can see life in prison through the internet," said the head of the Corrections Department, Nathee Chitsawang, who added that a date hasn't been set to start the broadcasts.

Web audiences will be able to watch the daily lives of inmates, including nearly 1,000 of them who have been sentenced to death, he said.

Cameras will track condemned men from their cells to their execution.

"The internet will show how we treat the convicts in their last minutes, including the preparation process, but at the time of execution, the viewer will be allowed to see only part of the process," Nathee said.

Nathee said the broadcasts are primarily aimed at deterring potential criminals, especially in the burgeoning drug trade. Thailand executes convicted drug traffickers.

Amnesty International Thailand has condemned the plan, arguing that it would violate a prisoner's rights.

[CJvR]

They execute convicts by machinegun there, if that isn't deterrece then nothing is.....................................................................................

[salm]

very good. now the prisons can finace themselves by selling the free space on the prisoners´ suits so that nike and pepsi can plant their advertisments there.
a controversial reality tv concept. this would fit into the marketing strategy of benetton.

[Steven Snyder]

When I read this I was waiting for the words, "Fox Reality TV executives have been in contact with..." What says ratings like a show called "MY BIG FAT OBNOXIOUS EXECUTIONER!"

[MKSheppard]

They execute convicts by machinegun there, if that isn't deterrece then nothing is.....................................................................................

Actually, they stopped doing that.

[Ubiquitous]

Yeah they use leathel injection now. BBC showed an unedited picture of the aftermath of a machine-gunning last year. I wouldn't want to clean up that mess... it was disgusting.

[Keevan_Colton]

Update:

Prison authorities in Thailand have shelved plans to use the internet to broadcast live pictures of inmates on death row as a deterrent to others.

The plan was announced by prisons director Nathee Chitsawang on Monday.

He said the broadcasts would show daily life - including inmates being prepared for execution.

But the plans were strongly criticised by human rights groups including Amnesty International - and reportedly by Thai government ministers.

''We agreed to the criticism, and it is certainly a very sensitive matter,'' he said, according to the Thai news agency (TNA).

The department originally planned to broadcast the day-to-day activities of death row inmates at Bangkok's Bangkwang Prison, saying it would deter drug trafficking - which carries the death sentence in Thailand.

But Amnesty International was among the human rights groups horrified by the idea, saying it would be an infringement of human rights.

The live web casts were scheduled to begin next Tuesday, TNA reported.

''Instead on that day, we will now carry a live broadcast of the opening ceremony of an exhibition on prison products made by inmates at Klong Prem Prison,'' Mr Chitsawang reportedly said.

Almost 1,000 of Bangkwang's 6,000 inmates are on death row.

Thai authorities have mounted an aggressive campaign against drugs in recent years.

Thousands of people suspected of drugs offences have been killed during the crackdown, sparking criticism from human rights groups.

BBC