PHUKET: Iranian couple Mitra and Mohammad stepped out of Phuket Prison today with 153 other inmates, but freedom for them will take a little longer to achieve.
The couple are on their way back to their home city of Shiraz as the most notable foreigners released today from Phuket Prison as part of a Royal pardon for HM The King's 84th birthday.
Perhaps as many as 500 prisoners will be released under the pardon, the Commander of the Phuket Prison, Rapin Nichanon, told Phuketwan today, inside the jail.
Most of the photographs accompanying this report were taken inside the jail, before the prisoners faced the world and the Phuket media on the outside.
Immigration officials at Phuket airport apprehended Mitra and Mohammad because of their suspicious behavior.
The couple had spent 14 days in Bangkok but chose to spend just one night on Phuket before leaving the country. Officials arrested the pair, and quickly discovered they were using false passports.
Today Mohammad told Phuketwan it was the first time he had tried to leave Thailand using a false passport. Mitra was more forthcoming, admitting to flying out twice before on fake passports.
Her third attempt was not so successful, and the couple were sentenced to jail on July 4 - perhaps giving American security personnel a pleasant birthday surprise.
There was no explanation as to what Mitra or Mohammad aimed to achieve by validating fake passports.
Mohammad said he had been ''waiting on the inside on Phuket for four months for this day.'' He missed his life and family in Iran and hoped that he might be among those granted freedom for HM The King's birthday.
For the pair and for the other fortunate prisoners, it was a day to celebrate.
Commander Rapin is a reformer - prison commanders are not always positive about the prospects of their charges changing their life and habits - and the prison shop contains a large range of woven baskets and other handmade prison souvenirs.
Female prison staff also offer massages in a purpose-built spa and massage centre that, like everything about Commander Rapin's tenure so far, has been designed to give the inmates honest jobs and a more positive direction once they leave the inside for the outside.
It's a work in progress. We welcome future reports that Mitra and Mohammad also choose to lead the free life, without deviation, in Shiraz.
The couple are on their way back to their home city of Shiraz as the most notable foreigners released today from Phuket Prison as part of a Royal pardon for HM The King's 84th birthday.
Perhaps as many as 500 prisoners will be released under the pardon, the Commander of the Phuket Prison, Rapin Nichanon, told Phuketwan today, inside the jail.
Most of the photographs accompanying this report were taken inside the jail, before the prisoners faced the world and the Phuket media on the outside.
Immigration officials at Phuket airport apprehended Mitra and Mohammad because of their suspicious behavior.
The couple had spent 14 days in Bangkok but chose to spend just one night on Phuket before leaving the country. Officials arrested the pair, and quickly discovered they were using false passports.
Today Mohammad told Phuketwan it was the first time he had tried to leave Thailand using a false passport. Mitra was more forthcoming, admitting to flying out twice before on fake passports.
Her third attempt was not so successful, and the couple were sentenced to jail on July 4 - perhaps giving American security personnel a pleasant birthday surprise.
There was no explanation as to what Mitra or Mohammad aimed to achieve by validating fake passports.
Mohammad said he had been ''waiting on the inside on Phuket for four months for this day.'' He missed his life and family in Iran and hoped that he might be among those granted freedom for HM The King's birthday.
For the pair and for the other fortunate prisoners, it was a day to celebrate.
Commander Rapin is a reformer - prison commanders are not always positive about the prospects of their charges changing their life and habits - and the prison shop contains a large range of woven baskets and other handmade prison souvenirs.
Female prison staff also offer massages in a purpose-built spa and massage centre that, like everything about Commander Rapin's tenure so far, has been designed to give the inmates honest jobs and a more positive direction once they leave the inside for the outside.
It's a work in progress. We welcome future reports that Mitra and Mohammad also choose to lead the free life, without deviation, in Shiraz.
I do love a nice Shiraz. Who knew that the grape originally came from Iran?
Posted by Bruce on December 9, 2011 00:16