203 PRISONERS FREED BY ROYAL AMNESTY

Following a royal amnesty to mark HM the Queen's birthday, 203 of the
3,787 prisoners in Chiang Mai Central Prison walked free on September
9.

They were all considered as 'trustworthy' prisoners and had less than
one year of their sentences to go. Most had been arrested in
connection with drug offences.

This is the second release of male prisoners at Chiang Mai Central
Prison. The first took place on National Mother's Day, when 109
prisoners were released.

In the morning before being released, the prisoners were led in an
affirmation to be good members of society and not be involved with
drugs and crime again. Following that, a monk sprinkled sacred water
to bless them in their new life.

Chakkapan Uttakit said he felt grateful for the Queen's benevolence.
He had been charged and found guilty of theft. He said that the first
thing he would do was to make merit and atone for his crime at the
Buddhist temple.

He promised when he got back home, he would resume operating his ore
mine and never transgress again. He admitted that prison life had
improved his self-discipline.