BANGKOK (UCAN) -- Catholic Religious in Thailand are cooperating with the government's Department of Corrections to give prisoners increased knowledge and occupational skills before they return to society.

Redemptorists, St. Paul de Chartres sisters, and Montfort Brothers are in the midst of a five-year project to open learning centers in 54 prisons nationwide.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn officially inaugurated the first Learning Center on Nov. 1, 2004, at the Nan provincial prison.

Since then, centers have opened in 26 other prisons. Talk-show celebrity Chatupol Chompoonich made a lighthearted and humorous presentation for the prisoners at each opening. He dealt with modern living and social mores in his talk, titled How Do You Live With Happiness?

According to available statistics from the Department of Corrections, the country's 188 prisons hold 158,046 prisoners. Possession and trafficking in illegal drugs are the leading cause of incarceration, followed by theft. More than 40 percent of prisoners are convicted of further crimes after their release and sent back to prison.

Each Learning Center has a computer, television, video player and a small library including books on Buddhism, careers and the English language.

UCA News visited the Pathum Thani provincial prison, just outside Bangkok, and spoke with several inmates using the center there.

Num, 24, said he comes to use the room often after finishing his prison work duties. "I like to study on the computer. Especially nowadays, I study programs like PowerPoint and PhotoShop," he added.

Tam, 25, also is learning about computers, "because they are used everywhere."

The centers benefit from volunteers with English expertise from Catholic schools including the Montfort Brothers-run Assumption school and Ruamrudee International School (RIS). They teach English and computer skills, as well as clothes designing and business skills.

Helen Aquino, a 58-year-old Filipina working at RIS, has taught ethics and human relations there and elsewhere.

"In the Minburi prison, I taught English for advanced learners," she told UCA News. "It was voluntary work; no money was involved. I wanted to help the prisoners and to make a difference, no matter how small. This program is an excellent way to extend a helping hand to less-fortunate people."

Prison officers set up group learning for 15-20 people at a time, depending on gender and interest.

Officer Rangsan Tamwattana arranges groups at the Pathum Thani prison, northeast of the capital. "The room is very useful for the prisoners," he said, noting it is used 100 percent of the time. "Every day there are many people who come, especially after lunch."

The project is funded by donations from the Redemptorists, St. Paul de Chartres Sisters and the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel Foundation in Thailand. The estimated project budget is 15-20 million baht (US$462,000-615,500) for the 54 centers. Each costs 250,000 baht or more, depending on the necessary equipment and number of inmates at the prison.

Princess Sirindhorn, who gives awards to people who work for the public good, visited the Learning Center at the Pathum Thani prison on April 20, 2007. She handed out four awards that day to Redemptorist Father John Wirach Amonpattana, RIS director; Sister Francoise Jiranonda, provincial of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres; Brother Sakda Kitcharoen, director of Assumption Sriracha School; and Learning Center coordinator Phongsawat Samingchai.

More than 3,000 inmates have taken advantage of the project through the first 27 centers, according to the Department of Corrections. About 400 have finished training courses and earned certificates. However, none of these prisoners have been released during the three years since the project began.

Father Joseph Apisit Kritsaralam, vice provincial superior of the Redemptorists in Thailand, told UCA News how it got started.

"To begin celebration of the 50th anniversary of Ruamrudee International School, we decided to do good things for society," he said. "We decided to help the imprisoned, and this led to the program to open 54 learning centers."

He said they recognized that prisoners "do not have a chance to study like others do."

END

(Accompanying photos available at here)