Australian Who Escaped From Klong Prem Prison Writes A Book

[MrOzark]

Hi Rain:

Didn't mean to imply you were any of those things, but would it wouldn't matter

for the sake of my point. There are 2 possibilities about what I'm saying:

1) I want to control your opinions and your expression of them.

2) I believe you are free to have any opinion you like but don't force it upon others.

The two above are not the same.

One of them I actually said, another I didn't.

BTW, 'doing some good' I know is only my opinion. Along with what I think that means.

I wouldn't dream of forcing you to do what I think is right. No one has that kind

of power unless its given to them.

All the best to you and your dogs and boy. It sounds like you have your hands full

and won't be chasing anyone in Iraq or England.

Being old-fashioned is no excuse for thinking like a guard dog.

.

.

.

That's where you should be putting your energy - not condemning and chasing and

imprisoning people that don't want or need your help. There are plenty of people that

really need it. Check out the World Food Program. Do some good.

Pardon? Where did that all come from? Are you saying that I sit in a bar half the day smoking & drinking? Or am a junkie? or abuse substances? Or are you personally using "you" as a general term for everyman?

I spend far too much time on here to be in a bar, half the day, BTW!

Yes, sir. I shall try to go out in the world & do some good & stop having opinions of my own. Because I'd hate anyone to think I was a paranoid police type or a guard dog.

What do I do with my Dog Rescue Center & little boy, while I'm out there trying to do some good, BTW?

Edited July 9, 2007 by MrOzark

[bruceboy]

...drug ssmuggler...

selling drugs for aliving for me is tantamount to murder ,hope his book rots on the self

Great post. :

[binnsy]

So a former heroin trafficker and prison escapee can get into the UK just fine when so many TV members have trouble getting their wives in?

and the Aussies call the brits CONVICTS!!!!!!!!!

[Neeranam]

Where can I buy the book? Would be a good read.

[gburns57au]

So a former heroin trafficker and prison escapee can get into the UK just fine when so many TV members have trouble getting their wives in?

and the Aussies call the brits CONVICTS!!!!!!!!!

Brits call the Aussies Convicts....you got it the wrong way around....

But he didnt actually go to the UK by choice.....we transported him to the UK to get our own back on them for sending all their crims here some 200+ years ago.....and beware cos the new laws here means we can send even more there....

Edited July 9, 2007 by gburns57au

[sriracha john]

Where can I buy the book? Would be a good read.

ESCAPE

Price: $23.50 (Singapore dollars)

Paperback format) 288pp

ISBN: 978-981-05-7568-7

To order a book via fax

To order a book via mail

To order a book via email

http://www.monsoonbooks.com.sg/post.html

[t.s]

I will be reading it, never know when or if you might ever need to know that escape route a little more acurately.....then you'll all be sorry.

Personally, I'm not planning on doing anything to end up there, but thank you for warning me I may need the escape route...

Actually, no. Even if I did end up there, after doing something suitably wrong, I think I'd buckle down and take the punishment for whatever crime it was I'd done. No matter how horrible it is.

i applaud your hypothetical strength of character

Edited July 9, 2007 by t.s

[sriracha john]

Book Review: by Lang Reid

Escape

Apparently David McMillan is the only westerner to have escaped from Bangkok’s Klong Prem prison, and the book “Escape” (ISBN 978-981-05-7568-7, Monsoon Books, June 1, 2007) written by him, purports to be a record of his life behind bars and the escape itself through them.

After reading the entire book, I have had to come to the unfortunate realization, that by comparison, having never having been on the run, I have lived a somewhat sheltered life. I have never had to pre-record telephone conversations to my own mobile phone from a telephone box, to give my pursuers the wrong information. Nor have I needed several passports in different names. How dull!

The book begins with author McMillan being apprehended in Bangkok’s Chinatown after he thought he had given narcotics officers the slip in Don Muang airport.

After his arrest, he is taken to a detention center and then to Klong Prem prison. After reading a few novels about life in the “Bangkok Hilton” I was rather taken aback at the relatively pleasant life enjoyed by the author. Money may be the root of all evil, but the evil can certainly make life a lot more bearable with it. For example, he has servants, has his shirts and shorts cleaned and pressed every day, and food brought in from outside. Interestingly, the outside kitchens are generally owned by the guards. Ah well, what goes around, comes around.

Author McMillan gives some very good sketches of the fellow inmates, all held together by the restraints of penal servitude, and their chains. He also does not spare his obvious dislike of the prison visitors from the various embassies, and especially his own Australian Embassy. What he seems not to grasp is that multiple drug-running offenders are probably not the ones that the Embassies warm to most!

The escape itself required an enormous amount of planning, and the cooperation of others, both within and without the prison. McMillan seems to gloss over the external network, but he was in constant contact with his people on the outside, and when he did escape was able to pick up another passport very quickly, taped to the back of a mirror in a toilet in Chinatown.

The book is exceptionally well written, and by the end I was wondering why David McMillan (if indeed that is his real name) had taken up a life of crime, rather than that of being a writer. I then thought about all the money he seemed to have at his disposal - when apprehended he had $44,000 with him - and the answer was self evident. Writers do not walk around with $44,000 at their immediate disposal, plus credit cards in different names that all seem to have money waiting at your local friendly ATM.

“Escape” begs to be made into a movie, with a James Bond style of character as the (anti)hero.

An entertaining tale, even though the actual escape only takes up the last 50 or so pages. McMillan does hold you right the way through to the end, with his descriptions of life as we don’t want to know it!

- Chaing Mai Mail

[the gent]

Autobiographies by outlaws are generally ghost written, usually for the very good reason the would be author is semi-literate and ill educated, and for that reason I tend to avoid them since originality of narrative is seldom on offer. Having said that, content can be quite pacy and they do help to pass a pleasant hour or two when one finds oneself captive ( on a plane or tedious terminal that is ).

The indignant ranting by the sanctimonious of the fora was only to be expected but given the opportunity I suppose I may read this particular potboiler since the Thai dimension is there and consequently of some interest.

Quite how the hang 'em high brigade reconcile their censorship on the grounds the protagonist is a drug dealer is beyond me. Most of them will have quite happily read the tales of 'derring do'by the CIA mercenaries let loose in Laos without a twinge of affected queasy conscience despite the well documented fact that that war was financed through heroin dealing facilitated by Air America.

Never mind, who needs all those shades of grey when you live in that world painted so starkly in black and white?

[November Rain]

Autobiographies by outlaws are generally ghost written, usually for the very good reason the would be author is semi-literate and ill educated, and for that reason I tend to avoid them since originality of narrative is seldom on offer. Having said that, content can be quite pacy and they do help to pass a pleasant hour or two when one finds oneself captive ( on a plane or tedious terminal that is ).

The indignant ranting by the sanctimonious of the fora was only to be expected but given the opportunity I suppose I may read this particular potboiler since the Thai dimension is there and consequently of some interest.

Quite how the hang 'em high brigade reconcile their censorship on the grounds the protagonist is a drug dealer is beyond me. Most of them will have quite happily read the tales of 'derring do'by the CIA mercenaries let loose in Laos without a twinge of affected queasy conscience despite the well documented fact that that war was financed through heroin dealing facilitated by Air America.

Never mind, who needs all those shades of grey when you live in that world painted so starkly in black and white?

Deity (insert your own) save us from the self righteous pseudo-intellingentsia!

[Eff1n2ret]

Chapeau that he escaped.

Not interested in the sodding book. I'm still trying to work out what that means

[November Rain]

I will be reading it, never know when or if you might ever need to know that escape route a little more acurately.....then you'll all be sorry.

Personally, I'm not planning on doing anything to end up there, but thank you for warning me I may need the escape route...

Actually, no. Even if I did end up there, after doing something suitably wrong, I think I'd buckle down and take the punishment for whatever crime it was I'd done. No matter how horrible it is.

i applaud your hypothetical strength of character

Not strength of character, hypothetical or otherwise.

1 I have a very strong moral code (instilled by parents, father particularly)

2 I have a fear of authority (so, I wouldn't go through a prison door, even if a guard left it open - I'd be too scared)

3 I couldn't live my life constantly being afraid of being caught. I'd rather do my time & live free again at the end of it.

[chicagogato]

Autobiographies by outlaws are generally ghost written, usually for the very good reason the would be author is semi-literate and ill educated, and for that reason I tend to avoid them since originality of narrative is seldom on offer. Having said that, content can be quite pacy and they do help to pass a pleasant hour or two when one finds oneself captive ( on a plane or tedious terminal that is ).

The indignant ranting by the sanctimonious of the fora was only to be expected but given the opportunity I suppose I may read this particular potboiler since the Thai dimension is there and consequently of some interest.

Quite how the hang 'em high brigade reconcile their censorship on the grounds the protagonist is a drug dealer is beyond me. Most of them will have quite happily read the tales of 'derring do'by the CIA mercenaries let loose in Laos without a twinge of affected queasy conscience despite the well documented fact that that war was financed through heroin dealing facilitated by Air America.

Never mind, who needs all those shades of grey when you live in that world painted so starkly in black and white?

Very well said indeed.

[MrOzark]

Autobiographies by outlaws are generally ghost written, usually for the very good reason the would be author is semi-literate and ill educated, and for that reason I tend to avoid them since originality of narrative is seldom on offer. Having said that, content can be quite pacy and they do help to pass a pleasant hour or two when one finds oneself captive ( on a plane or tedious terminal that is ).

The indignant ranting by the sanctimonious of the fora was only to be expected but given the opportunity I suppose I may read this particular potboiler since the Thai dimension is there and consequently of some interest.

Quite how the hang 'em high brigade reconcile their censorship on the grounds the protagonist is a drug dealer is beyond me. Most of them will have quite happily read the tales of 'derring do'by the CIA mercenaries let loose in Laos without a twinge of affected queasy conscience despite the well documented fact that that war was financed through heroin dealing facilitated by Air America.

Never mind, who needs all those shades of grey when you live in that world painted so starkly in black and white?

Yeah. What he said. That's what I meant.

[the gent]

Deity (insert your own) save us from the self righteous pseudo-intellingentsia!

Presumably you are still a novice in your Bagwan teachings?

Edited July 9, 2007 by the gent

[meom]

Autobiographies by outlaws are generally ghost written, usually for the very good reason the would be author is semi-literate and ill educated, and for that reason I tend to avoid them since originality of narrative is seldom on offer. Having said that, content can be quite pacy and they do help to pass a pleasant hour or two when one finds oneself captive ( on a plane or tedious terminal that is ).

The indignant ranting by the sanctimonious of the fora was only to be expected but given the opportunity I suppose I may read this particular potboiler since the Thai dimension is there and consequently of some interest.

Quite how the hang 'em high brigade reconcile their censorship on the grounds the protagonist is a drug dealer is beyond me. Most of them will have quite happily read the tales of 'derring do'by the CIA mercenaries let loose in Laos without a twinge of affected queasy conscience despite the well documented fact that that war was financed through heroin dealing facilitated by Air America.

Never mind, who needs all those shades of grey when you live in that world painted so starkly in black and white?

Very well said indeed.

True; if it weren't for drugs we would still be listening to Mozart

[November Rain]

Deity (insert your own) save us from the self righteous pseudo-intellingentsia!

Presumably you are still a novice in your Bagwan teachings?

Obviously. Must you regurgitate a dictionary in order to prove your believed superiority to other members?

[the gent]

Deity (insert your own) save us from the self righteous pseudo-intellingentsia!

Presumably you are still a novice in your Bagwan teachings?

Obviously. Must you regurgitate a dictionary in order to prove your believed superiority to other members?

OMmmmmmm me padme ommmmmmmmmm

[November Rain]

True; if it weren't for drugs we would still be listening to Mozart

OMG! I never thought about that! I take it all back. I wuz wrong! How d'you nominate a drug smuggler in hiding for a knighthood??

[A_Traveller]

Where can I buy the book? Would be a good read.

Book is freely available in Asia Books. Have seen it for a while now at Paragon.

Regards

[jumnien]

I hope they can get this drug-smuggling escaped con on the Jerry Springer Show, he sounds like a hoot!!!

[meemiathai]

is draino addictive?

sure there's a line (no pun) in the sand> which is ok drug and which is not?

playing computer games is addictive!

gambling is addictive!

thaivisa is addictive!

sex is addictive!

cigarettes!

alcohol!

What has anything got to do with the providers?

[meemiathai]

Being old-fashioned is no excuse for thinking like a guard dog.

Rain, it's not an argument, It's reality.

It is natural law that you can't control other people's private behavior

and its a waste of time if you bother others for things that don't affect you.

If you're against drugs, you and your dog can be drug free.

I am, too by the way. I'm also against smoking and sitting in a bar

all day half drunk and talking nonsense. When I was young, I experimented,

but now I have only 1 or 2 beers per week.

But I have no right to stop you - and its not my concern - unless you're forcing your

behavior on me.

If we were close friends and I wanted to help you, I might try to talk with you

about your drug/alcohol/cigarette abuse and try to be supportive. That's called

nurturing. Creating non-sensical and arbitrary laws about other poeple's private

lives denotes a sense of arrogance (you know better than others about how they

should behave an have a right to force your way upon them) and ignorance (its

counter-productive and ineffective to try).

The only people I know that are so overbearing as to try to dictate others'

actions are self-righteous delusionists that believe in some imaginary entity

that give them a right to control others, paranoid police types and those that

are afraid of what they would do if all drugs were legalized.

If you really believe in controlling others, go to Baghdad and see how effective it is.

Frankly, since I don't know you, I don't care if you are a junkie and I'm not going

to waste my time chasing you down or the guy that sold drugs to you. There are

people in this world that truly need help while you stake out the apartment across the way

because somebody smokes pot there.

Do you I know how many children die every day because of the world's neglect?

One child dies every 5 SECONDS because of lack of clean water, basic food and/or

cheap and common medicines.

That's where you should be putting your energy - not condemning and chasing and

imprisoning people that don't want or need your help. There are plenty of people that

really need it. Check out the World Food Program. Do some good.

GREAT POST!

[maipleur]

After reading the blog that was posted on this thread, I find the guy to be highly intelligent and I think many of his ilk have to be, as they are always planning and always in harms way (so to speak).. He also stated that he did not have a ghost writer and from what I read of his interview, I dont think he needed one. He seems to string a sentence together pretty well!

Im not grand standing for this guy, I just found it to be very interesting reading - I dont applaude his lifestyle, but I also do not think I have to be down on the guy as I dont know him.... People applaud some of the most violent people on this planet daily, which includes leaders of western countries and Mandela also gets standing ovations and sold many books, his history is very jaded.

Chopper Read wrote a book and he was an absolute animal in regards to what he did to people physically, but he become an Australian hero to some... many more along those same lines.

The man has had a very interesting life, that is all, why not read and it and see another way of life, other than your own.. I surely will.

[maipleur]

Trying to decide which is more appropriate. or

I think for all our sakes sir, you might want to do it in this order - wank and sleep and spare us all your higher than though attitude.

People are all different, lives of people are different and BTW I dont agree with you on your daily wanking schedule, but I promise not to ridicule - it just isnt my business I suppose

Edited July 9, 2007 by maipleur

[Rajah]

Where can I buy the book? Would be a good read.

Bookazine

There are lots of other prison books availabe as well. Damage Done, Welcome to hel_l etc.

Edited July 9, 2007 by Rajah

[tropo]

It's not right that people should make money because they broke the law.

You would have to be a complete idiot not to be aware of what awaits you should you get caught smuggling drugs in LOS.

Easy money if you get away with it.....but if not !

Who does he think he is Ronnie Biggs???

Come on, read the story:

Although ten years have now passed, are you still in danger of being extradited back to Thailand?

It’s worth saying that I was never convicted of the charge made; had not been caught with any drugs and strongly defended myself in court. Yet, from what I saw of the courts, I had no confidence in any acquittal. I’m sure my sentence would have been death – later reduced to life, I suppose, as Thailand hasn’t executed anyone for drugs alone for many years.

You should realise that the judicial system in Thailand is "difficult".

What should he have done? Not escaped?

His book should be a great read.

Edited July 9, 2007 by tropo

[BADBRAD]

I think that of all the threads I have read here, in my short time on this forum, that this one has the most diverse points of view represented. I had begun to think that only the right wing was represented here. The book sounds interesting regradless of where you stand morally on the situation.

[tropo]

If the Thai police are really still looking for this McMillan they might want to start by talking to the author of the blog promoting his book, who wrote in his blog that he interviewed McMillan, apparently recently.

--

Maestro

I doubt it was a face to face interview. It was probably conducted via email or internet chat.

Edited July 9, 2007 by tropo

[BADBRAD]

Without referring back, I am pretty sure I read that the author was only giving interviews via the 'net.