Having the names of innocent people on the police's criminal suspect database is a blatant form of injustice. Yet for decades, more than 13 million people suffered and were denied job opportunities and various legal rights because of their status.
The decision by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to put an end to this injustice is, therefore, welcome news.
Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy chief of the national police, announced on Tuesday that the names of 10 million innocent people had been cleared from the criminal database. The remaining 3.7 million will have their names erased as soon as their court cases are concluded, he said.
Police inputted the personal information and fingerprints of suspects into the criminal database without updating their status after a case.
Consequently, people's names remained on the database even if cases were dropped or even if they were declared innocent in court.
The problem arose from the unconstitutional treatment of suspects by the police. Section 29 guarantees the presumption of innocence before being proven guilty in a court of law, but from the way suspects are being handled, it seems like the opposite.
With criminal records, innocent people are denied jobs, international travel and many other legal rights that could enhance their lives. The damage done by the outdated database system, and subsequent social discrimination, is immeasurable.
In response to persistent petitions by rights groups, police initiated the "Clearing Criminal Records, Giving Life Back to People" project last year. Within just 18 months, the names of 10 million innocent individuals were removed from the database.
Currently, 600,000 individuals have received official documents from the RTP proving their innocence when they apply for jobs or exercise other legal rights. The rest will be able to access their personal records through the Criminal Records Division website starting next month to have their information amended.
To ensure compliance with the 2019 Personal Data Protection Act, which became effective on May 27, police have amended the rules regarding the collection of fingerprints. The names of suspects are now categorised into three groups, as opposed to labelling every defendant as a criminal.
The first group consists of those who have yet to appear in court or are awaiting trial. The second group is for convicted individuals who have been sentenced to more than one month in prison without suspension. The third group is for those who have been found guilty of lesser crimes.
Police are now prohibited from disclosing these records, except for internal use or with relevant state agencies, while juvenile records are safeguarded to prevent discrimination.
Despite the advancements, Asst Prof Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, director of the Law Center at Thammasat University, emphasised the need to improve respect for human rights further.
For instance, the names of people convicted for the first time for minor offences should be removed from the convict database, he said. Upgrading the rules into laws is also essential, he said.
The overhaul of the criminal records database by the RTP is a significant development that offers hope for police reform. When protecting the innocent is their goal, the police are set to restore public trust and confidence in their ability to uphold justice.
