HM pardons 26,000 inmates, including some drug convicts

His Majesty the King has issued a royal command pardoning some 26,000 prisoners to mark his 84th birthday.

The decree, which was signed by His Majesty, was based on the one initiated last year by the Democrat Party-led government.

In a statement published in the Royal Gazette, His Majesty said the convicts should be given a second chance.

To be eligible for this year's royal pardon, inmates must have been detained in prisons or detention centres sanctioned by the court or government agencies.

This year's pardon differs significantly from last year's by including inmates convicted on drug charges, as long as their sentences were not longer than eight years.

Using the broader criteria, the Corrections Department screened inmates and found 26,000 eligible. The first batch of 12,000 will be released on Thursday and the rest will be freed gradually, said the director-general of the Department of Corrections, Pol Colonel Suchart Wongananta-chai.

Earlier, it was feared that the Pheu Thai Party-led government would use this year's royal pardon to absolve former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was convicted of a corruption-related offence.

Democrat MP Thepthai Senpong yesterday thanked the government for heeding public opinion and not drafting the decree to benefit Thaksin.

But Thepthai said the government had yet to answer two questions.

The first was whether it was appropriate for Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul to return Thaksin's citizen's passport to him as a New Year's gift, even though Thaksin is a fugitive from the law.

The second was why the government has been helping Thaksin visit various countries, even though he is a fugitive.

Pornphan Boonyarat, chairwoman of the Senate committee on law enforcement and monarchy protection, said she was satisfied that this year's pardon decree did not deviate from last year's.

The decree was not enacted to help anyone in particular, so senators would not make any

move against the government, she said.

Prompong Nopparit, Pheu Thai spokesman, said returning Thaksin's passport was not illegal, but was returning justice to him.