Thailand’s sex offender neutering law passed
The House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill allowing repetitive sex and violent criminals to undergo voluntary chemical castration.
The bill for preventive measures for sexual recidivism or violent crime was passed by 292 votes to 1 with 1 abstention. It will be proposed for royal assent before it comes into force.
Patcharin Sumsiripong, of the Palang Pracharath party that proposed the law to the Ministry of Justice, said it will help reduce the number of repeat offenders.
She said the focus will be on three serious crimes, namely sexual assault, such as rape and molestation, murder or aggravated assault, and crimes that violate people’s freedom, such as kidnapping.
The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in February and by the Senate in July. The Senate changed some sections and the bill went back to the Chamber of Deputies yesterday.
The law states that the use of a drug that lowers testosterone levels must be approved by a committee and ordered by the court. Convicts who agree to the injection can request a reduced sentence.
The procedure should be performed by at least two professionals, a psychiatrist and a doctor. The bill also provides that convicts must be monitored for 10 years. After their release, they are forced to wear electronic security bracelets for a certain period of time.
South Korea, Russia, Poland and some parts of the United States have also opted for chemical castration to prevent recidivism.
Catch up on more stories here
Follow us on Facebook here
