Between 1979 and 1985, the number of inmates increased by 3,290 per year. The Department of Corrections, however, could only build one prison with a capacity of 500 inmates per year. Further, the number of prison staff did not rise commensurate with the increased number of inmates. Limited financial resources curtail the construction of a sufficient number of new facilities. Consequently, the Thai government is attempting to alleviate prison overcrowding by several noninstitutional methods. These methods include fines, probation, sentence remission, parole, and pardon. The Public Prosecution Department is cooperating in solving the problem of prison overcrowding by using certain kinds of preventive measures. Such measures encompass the dissemination of legal information, assistance in resolving disputes, and suspended prosecution. It is felt that community-based programs, particularly probation and parole, represent a cost-effective approach to alleviating prison overcrowding. Part 2 of the Thai Penal Code dealing with measures of safety is provided in an annex. 7 tables and 6 notes