Thailand
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or...
- News items in the archive
- 448
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Thailand is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 448 news items on Thailand, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JULY 11, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: PREGNANT WOMEN SPARED DEATH PENALTY
legislators amended the Thai criminal code to exempt pregnant women from the death penalty.
- JUNE 12, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. CHARTER DRAFTERS PAVE WAY FOR END TO DEATH PENALTY
The Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) decided to remove the expression "death penalty" from its draft
- MAY 24, 2007MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING TWO JAPANESE
a 60-year-old Malaysian man was sentenced to death by a Thai court for killing two Japanese man over a business dealing.
- MAY 7, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI BEHEADS TWO THAIS FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
two Thai nationals, Shalirm Yonha Koy and Smnoq Mintcho Keet, were beheaded in the Saudi Arabian city of Al Dammam for drug smuggling.
- MARCH 30, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND YAO DRUGLORD GETS DEATH SENTENCE
an influential drug dealer was sentenced to death while his girlfriend and an alleged accomplice were acquitted.
- MARCH 30, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: DEATH SENTENCE AWARED TO PAKISTANI NATIONAL COMMUTED
Thailand's Criminal Court handed down the death sentence to Mohammed Arif, 34, a Pakistani national, found guilty of murdering Priyanun Thongnakthae in a Bangkok Hotel on May 8, 2006.
- MARCH 29, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Thai Criminal Court sentenced a 29 year old man to death on drug trafficking charges.
- MARCH 14, 2007MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA THAI MAN ON DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE ESCAPES THE GALLOWS
a Thai national escaped the gallows when he was acquitted and discharged by the Malaysian High Court of a drug trafficking charge.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2007MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. THAI TO HANG AFTER APPEAL REJECTED
The Malaysian Federal Court dismissed an appeal by Thai national Wichai Onprom against a death
- JANUARY 19, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAI SENTENCED TO DEATH
Thailand’s Nong Khai Provincial Court sentenced to death a man convicted of murdering two Lao-American social activists one year ago.
- JANUARY 1, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty applies in Thailand to murder and heroin or amphetamine drug trafficking
The death penalty applies in Thailand to murder and heroin or amphetamine drug trafficking
- NOVEMBER 25, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. MEN WHO RAPED, KILLED TOURIST ESCAPE DEATH
Bualoy Kothisit, 23, and Wichai Sonkhaoyai, 24, two Thai fishermen convicted of raping and murdering a 21-year-old British tourist on New Year's Day 2006, had their death sentences commuted to life
- NOVEMBER 6, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. FORMER DEMOCRAT MP AND AIDE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
former Democrat MP Sitthiporn Kham-art and his close aide Ekkasith Yusuk were sentenced to death for masterminding the murder of the mother of former Democrat MP Khomkhai Polabutr.
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST MAJOR CHALERMCHAI
Thailand’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision to convict and sentence to death Major Chalermchai Majchaklam for murdering a Yasothon governor in 2001.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. TWO TO HANG FOR TRAFFICKING
families of Mohamed Awang, 48, from Tanah Merah, and Thai national Rohing, 42...
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 1999 MURDER OF AUSSIE AUDITOR
a Thai court sentenced two men to death and one to life imprisonment for the 1999 murder of an Australian auditor, who was slain by a hired gunman after uncovering alleged fraud at a sugar mill.
- JULY 29, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF 4
Anuchai Noithai, a man convicted of shooting four people dead, wounding three others and damaging seven vehicles after an argument with his ex-wife in 2005, was sentenced to death by the Saraburi Court, Thailand.
- JUNE 27, 2006IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA. AUTHORITIES TO EXECUTE 16 DRUG OFFENDERS, INCLUDING 10 FOREIGNERS
Indonesian authorities were preparing to execute 16 people on death row for drug trafficking, an official said.
- JUNE 8, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. GOVERNMENT TO FREE 25,000 PRISONERS
Thailand was to release 25,000 prisoners across the country on June 9 in an amnesty to celebrate the King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 60th anniversary on the throne, officials said. Thai authorities often grant royal
- MARCH 3, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. EX-POLICE GENERAL GETS DEATH SENTENCE IN SAUDI JEWEL HEIST CASE
former Lt. Gen. Chalor Kerdthed was sentenced to death by a Thai appeals court for masterminding the killing of two family members of a gem trader linked to a 1989 jewel theft in Saudi Arabia.
- JANUARY 19, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. SPEEDY MURDER TRIAL CALMS TOURISM FEARS BUT SPARKS CRITICISM
the speedy trial of two Thai men Bualoi Posit, 23, and Wichai Somkhaoyai, 24, sentenced to death for murdering a British student, raised concern about the kingdom's justice system.
- JANUARY 18, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF BRITISH STUDENT
two Thai fishermen, Bualoi Posit, 23, and Wichai Somkhaoyai, 24, were sentenced to death for the rape and murder of student Katherine Horton after an unusually short trial and sustained political pressure.
- JANUARY 18, 2006United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UNITED KINGDOM. BRITAIN THANKS THAI POLICE BUT OPPOSES DEATH FOR TOURIST'S KILLERS
Britain's Foreign Office thanked the Thai authorities for finding the two fishermen who raped and murdered a British student, but insisted it opposed their death sentence
- JANUARY 16, 2006United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UNITED KINGDOM. DON’T EXECUTE MY DAUGHTERS KILLERS, MOTHER OF BRITISH BACKPACKER
Wichai Somkhaoyai, and Bualoi Posit, the two Thai fisherman who raped and murdered British backpacker Katherine Horton should be spared the death penalty but locked up for life, the victim's mother said.
- JANUARY 16, 2006NetherlandsDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. TWO FOREIGN NATIONALS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG CRIMES
Lin Hau Yang and Edy Tang, on death row in Bangkok, had their death sentences for drug convictions confirmed by the Thai high court, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said.
- JANUARY 10, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. PM CALLS FOR EXECUTION OF BRITISH TOURIST'S KILLERS
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called for the execution of two Thai fishermen if convicted of the rape and murder of a British tourist on Samui island.
- JANUARY 1, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty applies in Thailand to murder and heroin or amphetamine drug trafficking
The death penalty applies in Thailand to murder and heroin or amphetamine drug trafficking
- NOVEMBER 27, 2005ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. MANY IN FAVOUR OF DEATH PENALTY, SURVEY SHOWS
about 45 per cent of respondents to a Dhurakij Pundit University poll in Thailand said they supported capital punishment for drug traffickers and almost 8 per cent condoned the extrajudicial killing of drug dealers.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. ITALIAN RISKS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER
Thai police arrested Italian national Daniel Testoni, 22, accused of having stabbed to death Japanese businessman Marcio Cristiano Hiraoka.
- OCTOBER 18, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. ITALIAN COULD FACE ON DRUG CHARGES
an Italian could face execution after being arrested on drug trafficking charges in northern Thailand, police said. Stefano Pelliccia, 50, from Rome, was apprehended on October 18 at a checkpoint in Mae Sai district of the northernmost province Chiang Rai