Boonrawi proposes to the Prime Minister to restore Tarutao Island Prison in Satun Province to solve the problem of prison overcrowding, relieve congestion, and use it to detain VVIP inmates involved in political cases, Senate vote-rigging, and local exam fraud.
At 10:00 a.m. on 23 July 2026 GMT+7. Mr. Boonrawi Yomjinda. A party-list Member of Parliament and leader of the Ruamjai Thai Party, said at the parliament that he had received complaints from relatives. of prisoners suffering in overcrowded prison conditions. These conditions violate the humanitarian principles of the United Nations Charter, therefore, he sent a letter to Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul requesting the reopening of Tarutao Island, Mueang District, Satun Province, as a prison to address inmate overcrowding and ease congestion by using the island as a detention facility for VVIP prisoners convicted of offenses such as former prime ministers, Senate vote-rigging, and local exam fraud.
Mr. Boonrawi further stated that Thai people are familiar with the name "Tarutao Island Prison." It was once an official prison under the Cabinet’s authority in 1936 CE when the government ordered the Department of Corrections to establish a vocational training colony for various prisoners and political detainees. Notably, in 1939 CE, political prisoners from the Boworadet Rebellion and NCO Rebellion cases were sent to Tarutao Island for confinement in the Talo Udang Bay area, totaling about 4,000 prisoners. Given Tarutao Island’s geography with an area of over 10 rai, there is no need to spend funds building walls to prevent escapes. The island is suitable to be restored to help solve prison overcrowding. He urged the Prime Minister to promptly address the inmate overcrowding issue.