Meet the man who harnesses the power of storytelling to support social reintegration of young offenders
Prison overcrowding has been a significant issue in Thailand, with the number of prisoners rising from 150,000 in 2006 to 366,000 in 2018. However, in recent years, the judicial system has made progress and the number has since decreased to 285,000. This success can be partially attributed to the promotion of social partnerships and the implementation of restorative justice by the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ). Thanachai Sundaravej is one of the key people driving the promotion of social partnerships and the adoption of restorative justice at the TIJ. He currently serves as the Senior Manager for Social Partnership and Public Engagement at TIJ's Office of the Bangkok Rules and Treatment of Offenders (OBR). A Turning Point Mr. Thanachai has a long history of working with children and youth. In 2007, he founded Cloud Book Publishing, a company that produces children’s literature. Mr. Thanachai was inspired to become a storyteller by his own son and has also written children's books himself. His career as a storyteller reached a turning point when he visited Ban Kanchanapisek Training Center for Youth for an educational purpose. The center is under the supervision of its director, Ticha na Nakorn, and serves as a model…