Women in Corrections Conference

Facility Visits

The Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), in collaboration with the Department of Corrections of Thailand, has arranged four prison facilities that participants can choose from. These facilities include female-only prisons and a designated female prisoner wing in a male prison. For those staying on after the conference you can indicate which facility you would like to visit when registering online for this event, but please note that this is not a booking - you can only sign-up at the venue. Please note that spaces are limited.

Schedule

Friday, 21 February 2025

Central Women's Correctional Institution visit times: 8.30 AM - 12.30 PM.
Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institution visit times: 8.00 AM - 1.00 PM.
Chonburi Women’s Correctional Institution visit times: 7.15 AM - 2.00 PM.
Ayutthaya Provincial Prison visit times: 8.00 AM - 1.00 PM.

Central Women's Correctional Institution

The Central Women's Correctional Institution is the largest women's prison in Thailand, housing over 4,000 women serving various sentences, including those under sentence of death. The facility spans an area of approximately seven acres and is situated on Ngamwongwan Road in Bangkok. This institution serves as the birthplace of the "Inspire Project" (Kamlangjai Project), an initiative by Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha to provide support and assistance specifically to pregnant women and those with young children. In addition, the Central Women's Correctional Institution operates various vocational training facilities, allowing prisoners to learn new skills to enhance their employability. These include the "Krua Chuanchom Restaurant," where women undergo hands-on training in culinary arts. The visit to the Central Women's Correctional Institution starts at 8.30 AM and finishes at 12.30 PM (arrive at the TIJ building).

Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institution

The Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institution, situated on the outskirts of Bangkok, has the capacity to house 779 women whose sentence term is under ten years. The institution conducts various rehabilitation programmes. Moreover, a diverse vocational training programme, with collaboration from various network partners, are implemented to provide women with professional skills, based on the individual’s classification taking into account their pre-incarceration employment backgrounds, the desired career paths upon release, as well as the demands of the job market. The Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institution is also recognised for its dedication to post-release support, particularly through the development of a mobile application which received the innovation award from the Department of Corrections of Thailand. This application provides information on job availability and serves as a platform for formerly incarcerated individuals to share their inspiring stories related to their employment. The visit to the Thonburi Women’s Correctional Institution starts at 8.00 AM and finishes at 1.00 PM (arrive at the TIJ building).

Chonburi Women’s Correctional Institution

The Chonburi Women’s Correctional Institution, the main female facility in the Eastern region of Thailand, takes up a space of approximately 23 acres and has a capacity of 2,047 women. The space is divided into an internal area of approximately 10 acres and an external area of approximately 13 acres. The institution provides various contract work and internal vocational training programmes including food and beverages, laundry and telemarketing services (call centres). Additionally, it offers external vocational training, where women are taken to train in professional skills at locations around the prison or at the prison’s vocational training facilities, primarily aimed to develop career paths and prepare prisoners for reintegration upon release. Moreover, the Chonburi Women’s Correctional Institution operates a separate wing for pre-release centre, housing prisoners who have remaining sentences of less than three years to undergo pre-release programmes and re-entry preparation to support and facilitate their reintegration into society. The visit to the Chonburi Women’s Correctional Institution starts at 7.15 AM and finishes at 2.00 PM (arrive at the TIJ building).

Ayutthaya Provincial Prison

Ayutthaya Provincial Prison functions as a correctional facility for both male and female inmates, with each gender held in separate parts of the same facility. The female wing is categorised as a medium-sized wing, covering an area of approximately 2 acres with the capacity to accommodate 249 women serving sentences of less than 25 years. The prison conducts a diverse range of rehabilitation and vocational training programmes specifically designed for women to address their criminogenic needs. The Cook and Coff, a well-known prison-themed café and restaurant, serves as a vocational training facility for prisoners to enhance their professional skills and prepare them for reintegration into society. In addition, spouses who are in a legally registered marriage and are both currently incarcerated in this facility are permitted to meet for contact visits under staff supervision once a year. The visit to the Ayutthaya Provincial Prison starts at 8.00 AM and finishes at 1.00 PM (arrive at the TIJ building).