Outrage over 85-year-old ex-drug kingpin’s release prompts Thailand pardon review

Thailand's justice minister has pledged to review pardon criteria following widespread outrage over the release of an 85-year-old drug trafficker. Laota Saenlee, a former anti-communist guerrilla turned drug runner, served less than a decade of a life sentence for selling crystal meth in the Golden Triangle region. The drug trafficking hub, shared by Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, sees tens of billions of dollars' worth of illegal substances passing through annually.

Laota was freed from a maximum-security prison in July, due to his age and good behavior following a series of royal pardons. Local authorities will continue to monitor him post-release. His release has been widely condemned, with former narcotics police chief Rewat Klinkesorn expressing shock that such a significant drug dealer was released so early.

Justice Minister Rutthapon Naowarat ordered a review of the pardon criteria, stating that flaws were identified but officials believed they followed the established rules.