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Mike · Site Admin Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 4359 Location:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Lad Yao prison threw open its doors and turned on the glitz Tuesday to try and shed its reputation as the notorious "Bangkok Hilton" hell-hole where dozens of foreign drug smugglers have languished for years.

Swapping drab prison garb for pink tutus and tight green t-shirts, a troupe of transvestites and acrobats provided a colorful welcome to delegates from a five-yearly United Nations crime-busting conference in the Thai capital.

In manicured gardens within walls topped with electric razor wire, male and female inmates then put on carefully scripted displays of everything from Thai boxing to tai chi and a 16-piece band screeching its way through some classic jazz.

It was all a far cry from accounts by former inmates such as British heroin smuggler Sandra Gregory, who said she witnessed horrific brutality during her 4- years in Lad Yao's women's unit, including prisoners dying for lack of medical care.

For prison chiefs, it was a chance to show off smart new facilities, such as a 47 million baht ($1.2 million) library and health center in the women's unit -- even though it was paid for by Buddhist religious foundations, not the government.

"Sure they've put up some garlands and given it a new lick of paint, but the facilities you see will still be here when this is all taken down," said one prisoner, who did not want to be named.

Elsewhere, prisoners were seen studying zealously for open university degrees they hope will set them on the straight and narrow when freedom finally arrives.

"I think when I get out I will become a lawyer," said Thai prisoner Chukiat, four years into a 14-year term and with his nose glued to a hefty book on jurisprudence.

Officials at the prison, which also featured in hit Renee Zelleweger movie "Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason," defended Thailand's hardline sentencing of drug convicts, which follows on from a 2003 "war on drugs" in which at least 2,500 people died.

Human rights groups accuse the government of conducting a campaign of extra-judicial killings, something it denies.

However, some of the statistics -- 84 percent of Lad Yao's 4,786 female inmates were convicted of breaking drug laws -- raised eyebrows.

"What you can see is all right, but the sentences are cruel," said Michael Platzer, a former U.N. official responsible for crime and justice.

"It's a system designed not to reintegrate people. There's no way you can rehabilitate someone after 30 years. You wife or husband is dead, your children have gone. Your life is over." Visitors were restricted from seeing living quarters or from talking to Thai or foreign inmates for more than a few minutes before being hustled on by minders.

"This is all so fake," said another prisoner who did not want to be named. "They didn't even want us to be here because they were worried we would talk to people." ($1=39.60 Baht)
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Alan Stepney · Centurion Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 845 Location:

I reckon all prisons for drug dealers / couriers should be as harsh a regime as that one.

They are just fortunate that I do not make the rules.
Harsh, you aint heard nothing yet!

ice treasure · Cohort Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 212 Location:

Alan I know you are at least intelligent enough to take in what I am about to tell you in response to your "mate maker" about rough justice. (That is designed to make people think you are one of the blokes, mate)

A prison is where you are sent AS PUNISHMENT not FOR PUNISHMENT.

This means that the time is of the essence not the conditions. As a tee-totalling father of four or whatever you are, you will of course never see the inside of a jail unless you happened to visit someone in it, which since you are at least in your mind, an expat, is highly unlikely to ever occur, since the average expatriate doesn't care about anyone or anything except of course ensuring his willy is wet and never mind the cost.

Thai kids in jail are housed in rooms about 9 metres front to back and about 3 m wide. That space, from around 4 PM to 6 AM, is shared by 60 inmates. Each inmate may get a blanket from the prison if he is fortunate. If not he will go without or have to get one sent in.

Foreigners are housed in smaller rooms with up to 4 per room. 4 of those rooms roughly equal the size of one Thai cell. Much better conditions.

That is just the beginning. That having been said, Warren Fellowes told about his life and his book was esentially rubbish, since foreigners don't get treated quite the same.

If you want to make an impact on your own life by learning to give a fcuk about others, can I suggest you make yourself available now and then to go and visit someone in prison in Thailand (English jails may be a bit much for you I suspect). Foreign prisoners enjoy and appreciate people just coming in to say hi.

Bring books, cartons of cigarettes and food and if you can leave a little money. 500 baht can go a long way. also writing paper, pens, and aerogrammes are appreciated.

If visiting is stressful there is a web site for foreign prisoners called Prisoners Abroad, a charity of English surprisingly enough who do care. They can put you in touch with someone to write to. You can send money using postal orders in the persons name.

And as you pat yourself on the back since it won't happen to you, ask around what happens in Thailand if you have little money and you lose your passport. May be quite an eye opener for you I hope. If you don't believe me call your consular service and ask how many foreigners are in Thai jails currently, for losing their passports, or that were stolen.
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Quite Bizarre!!!

Alan Stepney · Centurion Joined: 05 Nov 2004 Posts: 845 Location:

I have seen inside a UK prison (as a visitor) and that was enough for me.

However, we, over here, are getting far too lenient, and our prisons are more like holiday camps that places of punishment.

Two recent examples will suffice.

In one prison, the inmates rioted beacause the prison had been recently decorated, and they didnt like the colours.
They wanted nice pastel shades!!

In another prison, a nearby wind-powered electric generator was stopped after the prsioners complained that "the light reflecting off the blades spoiled their sleep!!

(Both were reported on the BBC.)

Perhaps the prisons in Asia are too harsh, but that depends upon what one feels is just for those who have committed the crimes.
In some cases, I would be far harder than the authorities, and reckon that the prisoners get all they deserve.

At the same time, for those who are accused but not yet proven guilty, I feel that they should be treated "properly" as they may be innocent.