Theerasak Longji: Thailand’s First Execution Since 2009
Theerasak Longji (ธีรศักดิ์ หลงจิ), a Thai man born in 1992, was executed by lethal injection on June 18, 2018, for the robbery and murder of 17-year-old Danudet Sukmak. His execution marked the first carried out in Thailand since 2009, making him the country’s most recent person to be executed.
The Murder Incident
On July 17, 2012, Danudet Sukmak was viciously attacked in southern Trang province by Theerasak and an accomplice. The attackers, both armed with knives, stabbed Danudet 24 times. Despite fleeing to a nearby park, Danudet succumbed to his wounds at the scene. After the brutal assault, Theerasak stole Danudet’s mobile phone and money before fleeing.
The motivation behind the attack was reportedly jealousy over a girl, and Theerasak was known to have prior arrests involving drugs, marijuana possession, and firearms offenses. The accomplice or accomplices involved were never apprehended.
Trial and Sentencing
Theerasak was convicted of aggravated robbery and aggravated murder. His conviction was upheld through the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court, leading to a death sentence. Thailand’s capital punishment law allowed his execution by lethal injection, which had replaced execution by firing squad in 2003.
Execution Details
On June 18, 2018, Theerasak’s execution was finalized. At 4:00 p.m., the ruling to execute him was confirmed. An hour later, he made a final phone call to his wife, during which he proclaimed his innocence. He did not speak to his 8-year-old son before the lethal injection procedure began at 6:00 p.m. He was pronounced dead shortly after, having spent his final moments praying in Arabic.
Following his death, prison officials informed his family that they could collect his body.
Significance
Theerasak Longji was the seventh person to be executed by lethal injection in Thailand since the method was introduced and the first execution in the country in nearly a decade. His case remains a notable moment in Thailand’s criminal justice history, as no further executions have been carried out since.
The case also continues to spark conversations about capital punishment and the justice system in Thailand.
