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| PM Yingluck at Bang Kwang Prison |
Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra (pictured left) is right to end the use of shackles in Thai prisons. As various sources have been reporting over the past few days, these shackles can weigh up to 5 kilograms and are known to cause extreme pain, and according to thaimedicalnews.com, sometimes work their way into the skin of the wearer causing skin and bone damage.
Organizations world-wide consider the use of prison shackles to be a form of torture as they are worn permanently by those convicted of serious offences.
I do get that we need a strong prison system, but the use of these shackles, and the conditions overall in the Thai prisons are simply not achieving this. As the Prime Minister said at the shackle breaking ceremony at Bangkwang prison, society needs to reform criminals. 
It's awfully easy for the outside observer to think that a prisoner gets whatever he or she deserves, but think about it for a moment. What does it say about society when we keep prisoners in such conditions? It provides no value to society and is cruel and unusual.
Now, I know you are probably thinking that she just want to avoid seeing her brother in shackles in case he ever does serve his prison sentence (joking), on this issue, she has done something long overdue.
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