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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Go directly to a Thai Prison -- NOT!

In case you have wondered, no, it is definitely not a good idea to break the law in Thailand and go to jail for it!
Not only have there been a whole range of books of former Bangkok prison inmates published, there is also a blog detailing daily life in a Thai prison; and unsurprisingly, it does not sound like fun at all...

Bangkwang is Bangkok’s maximum-security jail; designed for lifers and death row prisoners. All Bangkwang prisoners are serving sentences of at least 25 years and of its 7,000 inmates - mostly drug offenders - 883 have been sentenced to death.

The Thai people call Bangkwang the "Big Tiger" because it is a man-eater. Scores of prisoners have been put to death in its notorious execution chamber.

As the Times Online mentions, Bang Kwang Prison in Bangkok is #3 of the 10 most notorious prisons in the world:

Tempted to take a little marijuana on your fortnight package tour of Thailand? It may be unwise unless you want to end up in the infamous “Bangkok Hilton”.
In recent years the prison's population has trebled to 7,000 and the guards are out-numbered 50-1. Every inmate there is serving more than 25 years and for the first three months of their sentence each is forced to wear leg irons.
Inside Building 10, prisoners are held in solitary confinement in pitch-black cells two meters square wearing “elephant chains” for months on end.
"Thai prisons are tough," says Director of Prisons Khun Nattee in a superfluous warning to tourists. "You don't want to be in Bang Kwang."

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