Thai-ed up: British man’s terrifying prison ordeal in Thailand

[snoop1130]

 

A British man from Birmingham revealed the harrowing tale of his five-month ordeal in a Thai prison, labelling the conditions as inhumane and horrendous.

 

Jamie Morton was teaching English in Thailand when he got entangled in the local drug and alcohol scene.

 

In January 2019, Morton was accosted by eight individuals on a street corner, who then whisked him away to the IDC detention centre. Describing his time there as a nightmare, the 30 year old British man recalled how inmates were only allowed outside for one or two hours a day, with running water available for just a few hours. By May of the same year, he was released and flown back to London, where he expressed immense joy at returning to England.

 

Since then, Morton has radically changed his life, giving up alcohol and marrying his partner, Faaizah. Now an online coach based in Birmingham, West Midlands, England the British man reflected on his tumultuous past.

 

“I was young, living in Thailand and working illegally as a teacher.”

 

After his tourist visa expired, Morton fell into a dangerous crowd, leading him into the drug and alcohol scene.

 

“I got into the wrong crowd of people. I ended up being taken in by undercover police. I was standing on the street corner, and suddenly eight people surrounded me and took me to prison.”

 

Morton described the appalling conditions in the cell, crammed with 180 people.

 

“It was a nightmare; the conditions were so inhumane and horrendous. You never knew when your end date would be. It was very frustrating.”

 

 

Morton was handed a five-year ban on travelling to Thailand, which ends this year.

 

“It was an amazing feeling to leave that prison but I wasn’t convinced until the plane took off. Once I arrived in the UK, I was elated to be back on English soil and see my family again.”

 

Going sober

 

Despite the initial relief, the Brummie struggled with old habits, frequently visiting pubs. However, in September 2022, he decided to quit drinking for good.

 

“I started to get into some minor scrapes with the law when I got back and realised enough was enough.”

 

After giving up alcohol, Morton found love with his wife Faaizah in October 2022, and they married on August 15 last year. Now, he dedicates his life to helping others avoid his past mistakes.

 

“Being married has completely changed me but I still have that temptation every day to go back to drink.”

 

Through his online coaching venture, Morton aims to guide young men in fitness and steer them away from alcohol, reported Birmingham Mail UK.

 

“I have a totally different life now, but I still have my moments where I contemplate going to the pub. I want to teach young men how to swerve a drink.”

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of Birmingham Mail UK

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-07-03

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[2008bangkok]

So in a nutshell he got done for overstay 

[richard_smith237]

Is there going to be a book ???   

[Artisi]

Don't you really really feel sorry for him 😊. 

[steven100]

can't wait for the movie   ....

 

[oxo1947]

The IDC detention center--is a nightmare, much worse then the BKK Hilton.

  But you are only there until deportation-- no one is given a set  sentence to the IDC center. Your embassy is advised & If its the UK one (hard luck) they will then try to access family members to pay for your fare,

e & are reluctant for the embassy to pay for it if it isn't forthcoming from another source. But it does seem to be a long time for him to be in there waiting for deportation.

[Sheryl]

Just now, oxo1947 said:

The IDC detention center--is a nightmare, much worse then the BKK Hilton.

  But you are only there until deportation-- no one is given a set  sentence to the IDC center. Your embassy is advised & If its the UK one (hard luck) they will then try to access family members to pay for your fare,

e & are reluctant for the embassy to pay for it if it isn't forthcoming from another source. But it does seem to be a long time for him to be in there waiting for deportation.

Have to come upo with the fin(often 20,000 baht) as well as the ticket.

 

And I suspect the staff there don't hurry things even once all that is in order.

[oxo1947]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

Have to come upo with the fin(often 20,000 baht) as well as the ticket.

 

And I suspect the staff there don't hurry things even once all that is in order.

yes...20,000 forgot about that small detail sheryl---and if you mean the staff at the UK embassy --always a lot of paper shuffling..

[AnotherOneHere]

Junkie. All of them should be locked up, and they should be re-arrested if they try to write a book about it afterward.

[Sheryl]

Just now, oxo1947 said:

yes...20,000 forgot about that small detail sheryl---and if you mean the staff at the UK embassy --always a lot of paper shuffling..

No, I meant the staff at IDC.

 

British Embassy really has no role in this other than facilitating communication with family back home.

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Describing his time there as a nightmare, the 30 year old British man recalled how inmates were only allowed outside for one or two hours a day, with running water available for just a few hours.

Good.

It is a punishment, not a holiday camp.

[redwood1]

Why post the story without even saying what he did wrong?.....Dumb post....

[Nick Carter icp]

3 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Why post the story without even saying what he did wrong?.....Dumb post....

“I was young, living in Thailand and working illegally as a teacher.”

[dddave]

33 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

The IDC detention center--is a nightmare, much worse then the BKK Hilton.

  But you are only there until deportation-- no one is given a set  sentence to the IDC center. Your embassy is advised & If its the UK one (hard luck) they will then try to access family members to pay for your fare,

e & are reluctant for the embassy to pay for it if it isn't forthcoming from another source. But it does seem to be a long time for him to be in there waiting for deportation.

A number of years ago, a young man with some sort of immigration problem was posting directly from IDC to this forum, seeking information and advice. Surprisingly, he had been allowed to keep his phone.  He reported at the time how dreadful the conditions were there and also reported there were some 3rd world internees who had been in IDC for years,having no means to pay for their deportation expenses.  He was able to get out, I believe with the help of a forum member who was familiar with the legal process.

[redwood1]

12 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

“I was young, living in Thailand and working illegally as a teacher.”

 

Lots of people have worked illegally as a Teacher......LOADS.......The schools even encouraged it......

 

Then there is lots of talk about drugs and alcohol and the wrong crowd that has nothing to do with teaching.....

 

Strange and pointless story... That makes no point.....Except Thai jails are bad....

Edited July 3 by redwood1

[dinsdale]

For a story about how terrifying the prison ordeal was there are actually very few lines about said terrifying prison ordeal.

[stoner]

16 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Lots of people have worked illegally as a Teacher......LOADS.......The schools even encouraged it......

 

and ?

 

16 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Then there is lots of talk about drugs and alcohol and the wrong crowd that has nothing to do with teaching.....

 

yes there is no way it could have anything to do with it at all. 

 

[Pond Life]

Just a bit of added info from a friends experience.
You are given a 5 year re entry ban when they throw you out.

BUT, you have to jump thru a lot of hoops with the Immigration Department to have that ban removed from your record, my friend tried to board a plane to Thailand at the end of the 5 yrs & was refused boarding.

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, oxo1947 said:

The IDC detention center--is a nightmare, much worse then the BKK Hilton.

  But you are only there until deportation-- no one is given a set  sentence to the IDC center. Your embassy is advised & If its the UK one (hard luck) they will then try to access family members to pay for your fare,

e & are reluctant for the embassy to pay for it if it isn't forthcoming from another source. But it does seem to be a long time for him to be in there waiting for deportation.

You only end up in IDC if you are: deliberately overstaying and making no attempt to put right your "immigration status" or leave; or doing something really silly like working illegally whilst on a tourist visa. If he had managed to secure a job whilst on a tourist visa, then it is relatively straightforward to concert to a type B visa.

[georgegeorgia]

Poor kid 

[impulse]

Gotta wonder what's the rest of the story?  I can't imagine it took him and his family/friends 5 months to scrape up $600 and enough for a ticket home.  Which leads me to believe he was banged up for more than an overstay and working illegally.

 

Kudos to him if he's actually gotten his life in order.

 

Edit:  As a cautionary tale, I'm scared straight.  Doesn't sound like a good idea to get tossed into the IDC detention.

 

Edited July 3 by impulse

[MalcolmB]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

After giving up alcohol

 

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Through his online coaching venture, Morton aims to guide young men in fitness and steer them away from alcohol,

Wowser is a bit like a born again Christian. 
Pathetic

[NoDisplayName]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“It was a nightmare; the conditions were so inhumane and horrendous. You never knew when your end date would be. It was very frustrating.”

 

Is that you, Jules?

[frank83628]

prison isn't supposed to be a holiday camp, which it is in the UK to be honest!. in the uk you are locked for similar time per day, unless you apply for gym, education etc etc. you dont just get pulled off the street if you are minding your own business. no smoke without fire as the saying goes

[sungod]

41 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

prison isn't supposed to be a holiday camp, which it is in the UK to be honest!. in the uk you are locked for similar time per day, unless you apply for gym, education etc etc. you dont just get pulled off the street if you are minding your own business. no smoke without fire as the saying goes

 is that "83628 Frank , Guv" 🙂

[ukrules]

8 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Good.

It is a punishment, not a holiday camp.

 

It's not a punishment - it's a debtors prison - the debt being the fine and price of an airline ticket.

 

[still kicking]

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

It's not a punishment - it's a debtors prison - the debt being the fine and price of an airline ticket.

 

What I don't understand people like that put on a plane leaving the next day in OZ

[smedly]

10 hours ago, 2008bangkok said:

So in a nutshell he got done for overstay 

he didn't have the sense to keep away from drugs, i had a friend Many years ago who fell into a bad crowd, known drug dealers, farangs, i told him to delete my number from his phone and not contact me again, yes we met many times after that but only as friends, to many risks I am not prepared to take, the thai police are ------- upt

[jfeigel]

FAFO. The End.

[wombat]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 giving up alcohol and marrying his partner

Is there a gofund me for this born again lad?