Minister:About 200,000 inmates are eligible for pardon

BANGKOK, August 10 (TNA) - Thai Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya says that about 200,000 prisoners nationwide are eligible to be pardoned in the coming months, excluding those jailed for rape cases. General Paiboon told journalists of the information on Wednesday, explaining that based on the Royal Pardon Decree 2016, 200,000 out of a total of over 300,000 inmates nationwide are eligible to be immediately released or to have their jail terms reduced or suspended over the next 120 days. General Paiboon acknowledged that the namelist of the eligible inmates and their pardon dates could not yet be disclosed. The minister said he has, however, instructed Permanent Secretary for Justice Chanchao Chaiyanukij and Director-General of the ministry's Department of Corrections Patikhom Wongsuwan to conduct surveys on the eligible inmates and classify them into the three groups. According to the minister, eligible inmates who have served almost their jail terms will be the first group to be pardoned by being set free. The minister affirmed that, based on the Royal Pardon Decree 2016, there will be no pardon in all categories for inmates having been jailed for rape charges. (TNA)