Penal Colonies: Modern Penal Practices after the Siamese Revolution of 1932

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Sarunyou Thepsongkraow

Abstract

The paper aims to study the history of modern penal colonies in Thailand during the 1930s–1950s by exploring concept, establishment and development of penal colonies. The study found that modern penal colonies were the result of efforts to penal reform after the Siamese Revolution 1932 under the concept of inmates rehabilitation for good citizenship which led to the establishment of Penal Colonies in Yala and Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Penal practice in penal colonies focused on economic productions and healthcare for prisoners. However, the problem of surveillance prisoners, inefficient institutional management and the crisis of the World War II led to the failure of the penal colonies until the government decided to dissolve the penal colonies after the Coup of 1947.

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References

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