"Rutthapon," Minister of Justice, acknowledged problems in the procedures for reviewing "Lao Ta's" release, established a working group to investigate and plans improvements. He stated that the former drug lord's sentence cannot be reopened because the case is considered closed. He is not worried about the opposition using this issue for impeachment debates.
At 09:35 on 18 August 2026 GMT+7 Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon Naowarat, Minister of Justice, gave an interview at the Government House regarding the release case of Mr. Lao Ta Saenli, 85 years old, a former major drug convict who had been sentenced to life imprisonment but had his sentence reduced to 8 years and was granted a royal pardon, being released from Bang Kwang Central Prison on 14 August. This release has sparked public debate about whether a committee should be formed to review or reopen the case.
Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon said he is aware of the impact and has taken two actions: instructing the Department of Corrections to explain what happened, detailing the prisoner review and the process of proposing royal pardons; and the Ministry of Justice has set up a working group to review the criteria for pardons. Initially, we found several inappropriate procedural issues within the established regulations. I believe the officials followed the rules, but upon review, the regulations themselves have flaws. A working group has now been established to address these.
When asked, whether the newly established committee can reconsider the sentence, Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon stated, "That’s unlikely because the case has already been reviewed. The committee was formed to improve future case reviews."
When reporters asked again if the sentence is considered final, Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon responded that it is final since the release has occurred under the old regulations. Mr. Lao Ta was detained since 2016, with sentence reviews following the previous rules. Some aspects may have been inappropriate, so the working group will handle the matter and apply improvements going forward.
Regarding how to clarify this issue to the public, Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon said the Department of Corrections has already explained matters such as parole. These decisions are made by the Pardon Committee, not at the discretion of any individual. They must follow the regulations and rules that applied at that time. If not complied with, the responsible officials or committee members would also face consequences.
When asked whether the fault lies with the Department of Corrections or the regulations, Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon revealed that the fault lies with the regulations themselves, as officials followed them. Initially, the Department of Corrections was asked to clarify how the regulations have been since 2020 and how they applied during Mr. Lao Ta's pardon proposal period.
Regarding why other Thais received harsher sentences if Mr. Lao Ta's case followed the rules, Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon replied that he believes the same regulations were applied, with age being a factor. He requested permission to investigate further. Previously, there were rumors calling for the Department of Corrections to clarify official document issues, which must be verified before the director general signs off and submits to the Ministry of Justice.
Asked whether there is concern that the opposition might use this issue in a no-confidence debate, Police Lieutenant General Rutthapon said he thinks not, as all officials acted without corrupt intent and followed the regulations. When asked if this might be another issue raised by the opposition in a no-confidence debate, the Minister of Justice said that is the opposition's viewpoint. He is prepared with details for explanation, including the years and regulations applied initially. He believes officials followed the rules and will use this to make corrections.