The Thai Senate has passed a bill to allow some sex offenders to choose chemical castration in return for a reduced prison sentence. The bill does not become law until reaffirmed by the Lower House and published in the Royal Gazette. Officials at the justice ministry say they want quick implementation as a solution to rape cases.
But Thai critics such as Jaded Chouwilai, an NGO specializing in sex crime, say chemical castration is not a panacea and has its downsides. They point out that chemical castration (unlike surgical castration) is not a form of sterilization and is reversible once treatment is discontinued. Volunteers also need to bear in mind possible consequences such as loss of bone density and increase in the size of mammary glands.
Research in America suggests that injections can reduce sex drive, sexual fantasies and the capacity for arousal as the drugs can stop or reduce hormone production. Several countries already have the facility, often but not always voluntary, although it’s usually confined to offenders who have assaulted pre-pubescent children. Some countries with a law in place, such as Israel and UK, appear to have allowed the treatment only in a handful of cases.
The Thai bill requires monitoring for 10 years and the requirement to wear electronic monitoring bracelets. According to statistics produced by the Department of Corrections, about one quarter of those convicted of sex offences are recidivist and serve another term of imprisonment. However, a spokesman conceded that many sex crimes go unreported or do not result in an arrest for a variety of reasons.
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