About 71 percent said the executions of drug offenders would affect the drug trade. About 58 percent also agreed with the release of pictures and film footage of executions, while more than 34 percent disagreed. But at the same time, more than 24 percent said executions might legitimize violence. More than 22 percent were afraid innocent people might be put to death by mistake, and more than 11 percent said killing people was against religious teachings especially in a country where the majority of people are Buddhists. There are 212 people on death row in Thailand, including 145 convicted for drug offenses.
Government officials say more executions are scheduled to follow.
Mark Tamthai, a philosophy lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, challenged the government to give proof that capital punishment could really prevent crime. Without such an explanation, he says, executions are an irresponsible act.