Witness Protection in The Witness Protection Act B.E. 2546 (2003)

Present by Mr. Thanakorn Sthananonda

Director of the Witness Protection Office

Witness Protection Offi ce : WPO

Rights and Liberty protection Department, Ministry of Justice

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Witness Protection is the efficient tool for criminal justice

The Witness Protection Act B.E.

2546 (2003)

The Thai Constitution B.E. 2540 (1997)

Section 244. In a criminal case, a witness has the right to protection, proper treatment, necessary and appropriate remuneration from the State as provided by law.

Background of The Witness Protection Act

B.E. 2546 (2003)

Part 3 Rights and Liberties of an Individual

Section 40. A person shall have the rights in judicial process as follows:

(4) an injured person, alleged offender, plaintiff, defendant or the accused, interested parties, interested person or witness to the case shall have the right to appropriate treatment in judicial process including the right to be investigated correctly, promptly and fairly and not to testify against himself;

(5) an injured person, alleged offender, the accused and witness to a criminal case shall have the right to necessary and appropriate protection and assistance from State. The gratuity, compensation and expenses to be paid shall be provided by the law;

Persons who receive protection under The Thai Constitution B.E. 2550 (2007)

The Witness Protection Act B.E. 2546 (2003)

23 sections 6 Parts

"Witness" in section 3 of The Witness Protection Act B.E. 2546 (2003)means a person who commits himself/herself to be present at, or testify, or give evidence to a competent official for investigation, a criminal interrogation, a court for criminal proceedings, and includes an expert but not a defendant who himself/herself is a witness.

The meaning of witness

The right to receive protection when one is threatened causing by the course of his becoming a witness

The right to request for the protection of a person with closed relationships when one is threatened causing by the course of his becoming a witness

The right to receive compensation when the witness has already given evidence or testified to an investigation officer, a public officer, the Court

The right to receive compensation when damage is inflicted on a person’s life, body, property etc.

The right to receive expenses for entering general and special witness measure protection

Rights of the witness in The Witness Protection Act B.E. 2546 (2003)

Key principles in witness protection

Retaining confidentiality

Speedy

witness protection measure

General measure

Special measure

Witnesses or related person

s

request

• enquiry official

• investigation official

• competent official for persecution

• Courts• The witness

protection office

By oneself or inform police officers or other competent officers

Protection for the security are;

Arrangement for their securities

Providing safe accommodation

Concealment of identification and personal information

Provide protection to witnesses for the

absence of their security

• enquiry official

• investigation official

• competent official for persecution

• Courts• The witness

protection office

1

2

General measure for witness protection

Special measure for witness protection

Witnesse

Interested person

investigation officials

Enquiry official

competent official for persecution

Propose a petition and opinion MOJ minister or appointed person

Witness protection office may1) relocating or providing suitable accommodation2) providing reasonable allowance3) change name and personal information which can identify the witness and facilitate the return of prior status upon witness request 4.) assiting witness to have career or to obtain training or others for assisting a witness in becoming self-sustaining5.) assisting the witness to attain for their rights6.) proving security officers7.)implementing any other measures

The witness protection office

The witness protection office

Submit the

petition

Appeal to the court of first instance/military court

Reject the petition

Consideration for

execution

within 30

days-

Providing

protection

-coordinat

ing to other

officials

·Verify for the accuracy·inform about rights and consequences ·Issue the petition receipt

The Offence

in section

8

Taking complaint

(witness’s signature)

Compensation rates

General measureswitness accommodation ; not exceed 800 THB/dayfood/beverage 200 THB/dayliving allowances 200 THB/day

Compensation rates

Security protection officialaccommodation ; not exceed 800 THB/dayfees(not less than 12 hours) 200 THB /dayExpenses for a coverage of name/addressExpenses for other measures for protection

and assistance of witness

Special measure expenses

• relocating or providing suitable accommodation• Witness /dependent living expenses for 200 THB/day • Coordinating for a change of name and personal

registration • assisting witness to have career and education• assisting the witness to attain for their rights• Official’s fee(not less than 12 hours)12 THB/day• Other expenses for other measures for protection

and assistance of witness

Termination of witness protectionThe change for witness’s security

Appeal

“Section 20” Where a person disagrees with an order under sections 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17 or 19 which was not from the Court, he/she may submit an appeal to a Court of First Instance, but not a district court or military court, which has jurisdiction over the case within 30 days from the date he/she acknowledged or should have acknowledged the said order.

Stakeholders for witness protection

Mission of the Witness Protection Office

• Aims for the excellent operation for witness protection (Operation)

• Aims for the excellent training to agencies with witness protection mission (Training)

• Aims for the excellent database in witness protection ( Data Base)

Witness Protection’s mission

Meeting for witness protection for screening into the protection program

the Witness Protection’s mission

Corporation with witness protection’s Police Officer

Corporation with administrative officer

Capacity building for witness protection officer

Workshop for skill development in witness protectionat Airborne Support Division ,Border Patrol Police Bureau

(Naresuan Camp)

Improving physical fitness for witness protection officer

Brainstorming for the revision of the Witness Protection Act 2003

Statistics of people under witness protection programfiscal year 2014-2015

As of 6 August 2015

Statistics for general measure application fiscal year 2014-2015 Submitted application 1,079 cases 2,342 persons Under protection 723 cases 1,787 persons

เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน เรื่��อง คน2547 2548 2549 2550 2551 2552 2553 2554 2555 2556 2557 2258

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

11 11

57

93107

208

107

165

123

228

126

256

80

207

110

247

86

187

78

190

92

254

102

296

6 6

45

8164

164

81

139

77

182

69

199

47

174

92

198

64

134

49

126

79

218

50

166

Application / under the protection pro-gram

Number of Witnesses Under Witness Protection (Divided by Police’s Geographical Administration)

Fiscal Year

2011 - 2015

Number of Witness Under Witness Protection (Devided by Police’s Geographical Administration )

BKK1st

region2nd

region 3rd

region4th

region 5th

region6th

region7th

region 8th

region9th

regionSouthe

rnTotal

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

case

person

Total 1 3 7 10 3 15 5 17 5 9 9 14 8 73 18 57 15 48 12 43 2 2 85291

BKK/ 1 case 3

persons

4th region/ 5 cases 9 persons

southern region / 2 cases 2 persons

3th / 5 cases 17 persons

9th region / 12 cases 43

persons

8th region/ 15 cases 48

person

7th region / 18 cases 57 persons

2nd region/ 3 cases 15 persons

6th region /8 cases 73 persons

5th Region / 9 Cases 14

Persons

1st region/ 7 cases 10 persons

2014 / 5 cases 7 person 2015 / 4 cases 7 person

2014 / 5 cases 7 persons 2015 / 3 cases 66 persons

2012 / 1 case 1 person 2013 / 1 case 4 persons 2014 / 6 cases 27 persons 2015 / 7 cases 25 persons

2011 / 1 case 2 persons 2014 / 3 cases 9 persons 2015 / 10 cases 37 persons

2014 / 5 cases 23 persons

2015 / 7 cases 20 persons

2014 / 1 case 1 person 2015 / 4 cases 8 persons

2014 / 1 case 1 person 2015 / 5 cases 16 persons

2013 / 1 case 7 persons 2014 / 1 case 1 person 2015 / 1 case 7 persons

2014 / 3 cases 3 persons 2015 / 4 cases 7 persons

2015 / 1 cases 3 persons

2014 / 1 case 1 person 2015 / 1 case 1 person

As of 6 August 2015

agencies providing protection to witness at present

a witness protection officer288 Police officers a DSI officer An administrative officer

A total of 291 persons

ข้อมู�ล ณ วั�นที่�� ๖ ส.ค. ๒๕๕๘

Statistics for application(divided by offence)fiscal year 2014-2015

49%

13%

10%5% 10%

2%

3%2%

1%

5% 1%

ชี�วั�ต 1,149 คน รื่�างกาย 293 คนที่รื่�พย! 242 คน เพศ 109 คนจพง 225 คน ควัามูมู��นคง 40 คนยาเสพต�ด 77 คน ต�อเสรื่�ภาพ 41 คนการื่เล�อกต�&ง 25 คน แรื่งงาน 2 คนเอกสารื่ 4 คน คามูน(ษย! 112 คนป่+าไมู 4 คน ป่กครื่อง 13 คนหมู��นป่รื่ะมูาที่ 6 คน

As of 6 August 2558

The EndThank you