CAT/C/THA/CO/1 adequate safeguards and monitoring mechanisms on the use of such restraining devices. The Committee also regrets the use of solitary confinement, often in unhygienic conditions and with physical neglect, of up to three months, as a mean of punishment (art. 16). The State party should ensure that the use of restraints is avoided or applied under strict medical supervision, and that any such act is duly recorded. In particular, the State party should end the use of permanent shackling of death-row prisoners, the use of shackles as a punishment and prolonged solitary confinement. Furthermore, the use of solitary confinement should be limited as a measure of last resort and for as short a time as possible, under strict supervision and with the possibility of judicial review. Monitoring and inspection of places of deprivation of liberty 24. The Committee notes that visits to detention facilities can be undertaken by all agencies, including non-governmental and international organizations, upon request and with prior permission. It further notes the delegation’s statement that the State party hopes to become a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention by 2015. Nonetheless, the Committee is concerned at the lack of systematic, effective and independent monitoring and inspection of all places of detention (arts. 11 and 12). The State party should: (a) Ensure the effective monitoring and inspection of all places of detention through regular and unannounced visits by independent national and international monitors, including non-governmental organizations, in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; (b) Make the recommendations of the monitors public and follow up on the outcome of such systematic monitoring; (c) Collect information on the place, time and periodicity of visits, including unannounced visits, to places of deprivation of liberty, and on the findings and the follow-up to the outcome of such visits; (d) Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and establish a national preventive mechanism. National Human Rights Commission 25. The Committee notes with interest that the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) has broad competence to receive and investigate complaints of human rights violations; undertake the monitoring of places of detention; examine laws which contradict human rights principles and subsequently submit those cases to the court for deliberation and ruling. The Committee is nonetheless concerned at reports that the authorities have not followed up on the findings and recommendations made by the NHRCT, and about reports that persons deprived of their liberty do not file complaints with the NHRCT when they visit detention places, reportedly out of fear of retaliation by prison officials (art. 2) The State party should ensure that the NHRCT effectively executes its mandate in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions (the Paris Principles) (General Assembly resolution 48/134, annex), in particular by strengthening the roles of the NHRCT to carry out unannounced visits to detention facilities, during which they are able to take confidential statements from detainees; implementing the recommendations made by the NHRCT and guaranteeing the independence and pluralism of its composition. In that regard, the Committee 11