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Published on August 21, 2007

At a workshop organised by the ministry, Charnchai said the idea was to stem the long-standing problem of convicted drug dealers continuing to run their operations from prison.

Charnchai encouraged inmates with knowledge about in-prison drug dealing to volunteer the information, saying inside tips from inmates were more accurate and crucial to effectively tackling the problem.

Corrections Department director-general Natthee Jitsawang said there were about 20,000 inmates serving long-term sentences for drug dealing. They are still running their drug rackets using their associates outside.

More than 10 drug rackets have been busted since the department stepped up its campaign to tackle the problem late last year, he said. There are about 160,000 convicts in more than 265 correctional facilities in Thailand.