Phuketwan is Following Up This Report
A BRITISH publication claims a tourist is facing a two-year sentence in a ''hellish Thai prison'' on Phuket for ''being rude'' to an Immigration official.
The allegations highlight cultural differences, the issue of overcrowding and security in Phuket Jail, and a rising incidence of crime on the island.
An Immigration official confirmed the man's arrest and said the man swore at an official, criticised Thailand, and had an inappropriate photograph in his passport.
''Phuket doesn't need bad tourists like this,'' the Director General of Immigration at the Phuket International Airport, Suksopon Maneeson, told Phuketwan today.
The incident first emerged in a report carried by the Voice online.
According to the article by Maxine Myers, Voice reader Simon Burrowes was ending a holiday with a friend when Thai authorities at Phuket airport detained him on January 31, preventing him from returning to Britain.
The report continues: ''Immigration officials suspected Burrowes' passport was a forgery. Speaking to The Voice via phone from Thailand, Burrowes said: ''A woman at immigration was looking at my passport and then handed it to the man behind her.
''I was ushered to sit down whilst he took out a magnifying glass and proceeded to check my passport for half an hour,'' he explained.
''He was told that he was not getting on the plane and was taken to a detention centre, whilst his friend Matthew was able to fly back to the UK.''
The report alleges that for three weeks, the 44-year old was ''held with 126 men in a cramped prison cell.''
According to the Voice: ''He contacted the British Consulate, who confirmed his passport was genuine. However, the disgruntled Brit claims that the Consulate should have done more, saying that they took long to react to his case.''
The Voice says Burrowes was later charged with ''rude and aggressive behaviour'' towards an immigration officer, a claim he denies, and released on bail to the equivalent of 2000 pounds.
''He must remain in Thailand until his trial begins on April 26, and his lawyer has warned he could face a two-year jail sentence,'' the Voice reports.
The Director General of Immigration at the Phuket International Airport, Suksopon Maneeson, said he had a voice tape recording the incident.
The man's passport carried a photograph in which he was not wearing clothes, which led the official to wonder whether it was a genuine passport, Khun Suksopon said.
He also looked younger in the photograph.
''When compared with other passports, even from Cambodia or Laos, they have standards,'' Khun Suksopon said. ''Britain is a developed country.''
When the official started to ask questions, Burrowes became angry, Khun Suksopon said, and snatched back his passport. Burrowes then said ''F*** You'' and criticised Thailand in an offensive way, Khun Suksopon added.
''If you go to England and behave the way this man did, what would happen?'' Khun Suksopon asked.
''I love Thailand. I do not want people coming here and looking down on Thailand or speaking badly about Thailand and to Thai people.''
British Honorary Consulate Martin Carpenter told Phuketwan: ''At the end of the day, we've done everything we can possibly do for him.
''The last time I spoke to Mr Burrowes, he said: 'Thank you for everything you have done for me.'''
The General Director of Phuket Jail, Paisal Suwanraksa, confirmed that Mr Burrowes had been held at the jail.
He said: ''Phuket Jail has adequate room for 700 people but right now, we have more than 1000 inmates. It is true that conditions are not ideal.''
Last week, a senior official from Bangkok visited the jail and told Khun Paisal he was concerned about the pressure on existing facilities.
Some prisoners may have to be transferred to other jails in Songkla or Nakornsritammarat.
At present, 46 percent of the prisoners on Phuket are in jail for drug-related offences.
Khun Paisan said a new jail would cost 400 million baht, but there is no evidence that underfunded Phuket has that kind of money to spend.
He said the Governor, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, had visited the jail and was concerned about conditions there.
Jail officers turned down a formal request from Phuketwan today to tour the jail to see what conditions are like. We were told there were concerns, with so many prisoners in the jail, for our safety.
Phuketwan is renewing a request for access via the Justice Department in Bangkok.
Five prisoners still being held in the jail are British, jail officials told Phuketwan. About 20 inmates are from Western countries.
Phuketwan is checking the other allegations and will be updating this report as soon as our reporters have more details.
The Voice report in full is at:
http://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=15190
Phuketwan's News File
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