PHUKET: Raids at Phuket Prison are always an eye-opener and today the slumber of all 2936 inmates in the crowded jail was interrupted before dawn.
One man, lying prone on a makeshift bed in a corner, connected to a drip, was not asked to stir. The rest of the prison's male population, in some cases requiring the help of walking frames or impeded by shackles, shambled out to pack the central quadrangle.
Later, in the women's section, a small girl, one of four children who stay overnight with their mothers, waved at the camera through the wire.
On his first Phuket Prison raid, Governor Nisit Jansomwong noted the conditions then told the media that the island's packed pen was not nearly as intimidating at the ''supermax'' jail in Rachaburi, where all the inmates were lifers with no hope of release.
At least on Phuket, where the prisoners include those on remand before trial and others sentenced to less than 15 years, the future is not so gloomy.
''The main thing is to make sure the Phuket Prison is clean and there's enough food,'' the governor said. Random drugs tests on 320 inmates proved negative and no weapons, telephones or other contraband was found during the raid.
The new Phuket Prison Commander, Pichit Wannajid, told Phuketwan that plans for the new jail were still being reviewed by the Justice Ministry but the budget was approved and it would take three years or perhaps a little more to build in central Phuket once construction began.
He said one idea was to keep the old jail for the women prisoners. Then he reacted positively to a suggestion from Phuketwan that the old prison should become the remand jail, keeping all inmates who need to visit judges regularly close to Phuket Provincial Court and for the first time, separating those awaiting trial from those already found guilty.
The new jail at Bang Jo will include a ''supermax'' section for prisoners serving life, putting those from all six Andaman provinces closer to families and friends.
The flip-flops at Phuket Prison as always told their own stories, with individual inscriptions conveying meanings and reminding their wearers of their own identities. We liked the one that read in Thai: ''Six years and 12 months. Chill, chill.''
Of the 2936 inmates in the facility built for 750, 431 are female. Numbers include 55 male and two female foreigners.
One man, lying prone on a makeshift bed in a corner, connected to a drip, was not asked to stir. The rest of the prison's male population, in some cases requiring the help of walking frames or impeded by shackles, shambled out to pack the central quadrangle.
Later, in the women's section, a small girl, one of four children who stay overnight with their mothers, waved at the camera through the wire.
On his first Phuket Prison raid, Governor Nisit Jansomwong noted the conditions then told the media that the island's packed pen was not nearly as intimidating at the ''supermax'' jail in Rachaburi, where all the inmates were lifers with no hope of release.
At least on Phuket, where the prisoners include those on remand before trial and others sentenced to less than 15 years, the future is not so gloomy.
''The main thing is to make sure the Phuket Prison is clean and there's enough food,'' the governor said. Random drugs tests on 320 inmates proved negative and no weapons, telephones or other contraband was found during the raid.
The new Phuket Prison Commander, Pichit Wannajid, told Phuketwan that plans for the new jail were still being reviewed by the Justice Ministry but the budget was approved and it would take three years or perhaps a little more to build in central Phuket once construction began.
He said one idea was to keep the old jail for the women prisoners. Then he reacted positively to a suggestion from Phuketwan that the old prison should become the remand jail, keeping all inmates who need to visit judges regularly close to Phuket Provincial Court and for the first time, separating those awaiting trial from those already found guilty.
The new jail at Bang Jo will include a ''supermax'' section for prisoners serving life, putting those from all six Andaman provinces closer to families and friends.
The flip-flops at Phuket Prison as always told their own stories, with individual inscriptions conveying meanings and reminding their wearers of their own identities. We liked the one that read in Thai: ''Six years and 12 months. Chill, chill.''
Of the 2936 inmates in the facility built for 750, 431 are female. Numbers include 55 male and two female foreigners.
Be very satisfying to see your 'PW" flip-flops in the next years line up morrisen...
Posted by James on October 29, 2014 11:56
Editor Comment:
You are a perverse dingbat, James. The founder of the internet, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, finds it ''staggering'' how many people feel compelled to make hateful comments on the web.
I am just so sad for you. Your head must hurt most of the time.