Cramming in prison

A total of 1,188 convicts have completed undergraduate courses while serving their jail terms.

Their study was made possi¬ble thanks to a joint project between the Corrections Department and the Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, which has enrolled 7,495 in¬mates. Most of them are con¬victed of serious crimes and sentenced to long terms.

While thousands of inmates are still tackling their courses, many others have already graduated, 425 with bachelor's degrees in law.

"Most are interested in law courses because they want to know how to frame petitions or requests for the reduction of penalties," department directorgeneral Nathee Chitsawang said.

Paid by fellow convicts

He said some were paid by fellow convicts to write them.

"We have no information as yet on what they plan to do af¬ter they are released," Nathee said.

He was speaking after Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga suggested that his ministry should hire them as legal counsellors for people who needed help.

A total of 207 prisoners have completed undergraduate courses in management and 189 in agriculture.