Backlash after Thailand frees 85-year-old drug trafficker

Bangkok, Thailand - The Thai justice minister has vowed to review the criteria for pardons following public outrage over the release of an 85-year-old convicted drug trafficker. Laota Saenlee, a former anti-communist guerrilla, was arrested in 2016 for trafficking crystal meth in the Golden Triangle region, which borders Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos.

This highly productive area is notorious for producing large volumes of heroin, methamphetamine, and ketamine each year. Laota's release, following a series of royal pardons, occurred due to his advanced age and good behavior, despite having served less than ten years of a life sentence. This decision drew widespread condemnation on social media, with former narcotics police chief Rewat Klinkesorn expressing shock that such a significant drug dealer was freed so prematurely.

The corrections department admitted to flaws in their pardon criteria and is currently conducting a review. Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat has ordered an investigation into the matter, stating that while the criteria were followed, there are issues that need to be addressed. Laota, who hailed from the Lisu ethnic minority, had a long criminal history before his 2017 conviction.