Hundreds of prisoners will be pardoned or see their sentences reduced on Tuesday following a request by the Ministry of Interior to the King.

The royal pardons and sentence reductions, which benefit 339 inmates, coincide with Pisak Bochea Day, a celebration of the Buddha’s birth.

“Thirty-five prisoners were pardoned, 87 inmates got a 12-month sentence reduction, 59 prisoners got a nine-month sentence reduction and 158 prisoners got a six-month sentence reduction,” Sam Brochea Meanit, cabinet chief for the Ministry of Justice, said.

Inmates eligible for pardon have to have served two-thirds of their sentence, while those eligible for a sentence reduction must have served one-third. Good behaviour and a willingness to obey the law upon reintegration is also a factor in the selection process.

However, Chan Soveth, a senior investigator for rights group Adhoc, said corruption routinely plays a significant role in determining who benefits from the pardons.