Striving towards better prisons

The newly-appointed director-general of the Department of Corrections, Ayuth Sintoppant, is a classic example of what Thais call a luk mor — a staff member who has worked at the same place for a very long time, and as such, is deeply familiar with the depth and breadth of his organisation and its work.

Having worked in the Department of Corrections for several decades, Mr Ayuth said he has witnessed the transformation of Thailand’s prison system.

“When I started my career, there were no women’s prisons, so women convicts had to be held at the prison which is now Romaneenart Park,” said Mr Ayuth, as he recalled the first place where he worked after he graduated from university.

The new director-general began his career as a C-1 ranking official working at the old Bangkok Remand Prison. Before he started there, he obtained a…