24 March 2001 :

The government supports the execution of drug inmates on death row after they have been tried in three courts, said Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon.
The Corrections Department, however, insisted executions could not be carried out immediately after appeals ended at the Supreme Court. Inmates were entitled by law to forward a last-ditch appeal to His Majesty the King, said Nattee Jitsawang, the department deputy chief.
The King also reserved the right to exercise his prerogative in considering such appeals.
Jitsawang said inmates had 60 days after a Supreme Court verdict upholding their death sentence to lodge the petition. Inmates usually left it to the last day and the department needed another five months to put the paperwork through.
Mr Nattee said staff would now speed up the process and have documents ready once inmates made their application.
Twelve convicts whose petition to the King was rejected await execution.