Thailand to use electronic bracelets on offenders

BANGKOK, December 28 (TNA) - The Probation Department, under the Thai Ministry of Justice, plans to use electronic bracelets to control offenders with suspended prison sentences of no more than three years, especially youths. The department's director-general, Ruenwadee Suwanmongkol, told reporters on Saturday that the Juvenile and Family Court is considering the ministry's Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection to use electronic bracelets on 52 young offenders, on charges of traffic violation and public disturbance, as well as drug and theft cases, instead of detaining them, as a three-month pilot project, from December 2013-February 2014. Ruenwadee acknowledged that her department has been allocated more state budget in the 2014 fiscal year to procure 3,000 electronic bracelets, instead of 200 ones, and she is, thus, proposing to expand the use of the electronic bracelets on young offenders. Ruenwadee said electronic bracelets can help officials monitor the offenders and ensure that they remain in detained areas, which helps reduce congestion in Thai prisons and prevent them from committing any repeated offence. According to the senior official, such measure has been used against offenders on rape charge in South Korea and it has worked effectively. (TNA)