With Samut Prakan Central Prison launching vaccination project against COVID-19 for inmates, the Minister of Justice has confirmed all “white” correctional facilities will receive vaccines by next week, adding that efforts are being made to reduce congestion.
Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsutin observed the beginning of vaccinations at Samut Prakan Central Prison, which is a “white” prison that has not detected any COVID-19 infections so far. Authorities are to vaccinate 1,800 people a day until all 6,515 people that use the facility are inoculated.
It was explained that the effort was launched to protect inmates from infection after several prisons became major clusters of the virus. The minister added that the director-general of the Department of Corrections has been directed to reorganize penitentiaries to better distance inmates.
The ministry is poised to suggest leniency for narcotics related inmates, looking to remove some 30,000 inmates alongside others that have been pardoned. The process is expected to take three months but should allow for proper distancing. Any facility unable to provide at least 1.2 meters between inmates will be penalized for failing to comply with the order. (NNT)
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