10 hours ago, rocketboy2 said:

Compared to the Bangkok Hilton.

Yes they are holiday camps.

Are they all the same? I assumed there would be high security prisons and then less secure facilities. I think that’s the case in USA and I assumed it was the same in UK and other countries.

In Canada, we have conjugal visits, straight or gay, with any food desired brought in by the visitor but carefully checked. (As one Mafia guy said, "They got me on the phone. It was Xmas. I was talking about 32lbs of turkey not heroin!")

No cellphones. Private trailers for accommodation. Three day visits. Civilised and rehabilitative.

Old mate from the lead story is going to be a long term guest I'm guessing.

Happy camping!!

After having spent a short time (15 yers ago) in the Immigration Detention Center, (IDC) Bangkok I can honestly say, I do NOT EVER want to go back inside there! I can only imagine the pure HELL it must be to be locked up for a lenghty time...

The only answer is don't do the crime and you won't have to do the time. I have no compassion for these idiots (and I was one on overstay)!

As far as child molestors are concerned, I think a quick Full (Cock & Balls) Castration is the answer! If they still persist in assaulting chidren then Decapitation should work!

And for drugs, just poison all drugs siezed, and then put them back out onto the market, eventualy the drug use will end and so will the associated problems...

For theft of property, or fraud cases, make them work at a workcamp to re-pay all the monies stolen, and to cover the cost of Prosecution.

If that is not possible because of the large amount stolen, then offer the guilt person a chace of early release, by selling his/her healthy organs and help society in that way!

I am sure there will be some pussies that disagree with my viwepoint, so go ahead and pursuade me otherwise.🤪

3 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

I don’t disagree with much of what you say, but do people really get put in prison in Thailand for shoplifting or speeding? I mean for more than 24 hours or so until a hearing.

Genuine question. Obviously driving drunk or killing people while speeding is different, but straight forward theft or speeding?

Pattaya ladyboys get released an hour after arrest for 100 baht and a wai.

Just be rich and connected and you can buy a pardon in USA from dear leader....or at least get transferred to a semi country club type prison even after being convicted of pedo for decades....Maxwell is a poster girl who is sitting waiting for her pardon if she keeps her mouth shut and protects all the epstein class.

Check the list of thugs fraudsters and criminals that have received pardons from Trump and then imagine you or a child etc had been one of the victims of these "friends of the president" who are walking free today.

Equal justice for all....the biggest lie in the world.

10 hours ago, Old Croc said:

While I believe punishment should fit the crime, I don't believe State sanctioned torture should be a part of any sentence.

Giving free rein to a few sadists to practise their perversions on criminals locked up and under their control is as bad as the crimes that got their victims jailed.

The Scandinavian style motel units for prisoners appear ludicrous, but in my opinion, whippings, shackles, starvation, overcrowding and poor sanitation is medieval.

The advocates of such behavior here perhaps should move to countries like North Korea, Russia or another place once considered great, where the state condones political imprisonment, torture and murder.

Shackles, if placed properly, are not a huge issue as to food and overcrowding. Sorry, but anyone who comes to this country knows that the punishment here is more severe than anything they will get at home unless they are from Singapore or Indonesia.

The funny thing that you miss is the biggest joke of all.

It is not the guards or system that torments or harasses prisoners. It is the prisoners who will pass judgment and decide. Hence, in U.S. prisons, you hear of people getting shanked who were child molesters.

Back when Coke still came in a glass bottle, it was used for child molesters and stoolies. Bend them over, shove them in, and then push them home with a steel bar. KP used ot have a segregated area for those who would be great playthings for the hardened cons. Still do at the newer prison in Milhaven.

55 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

. Sorry, but anyone who comes to this country knows that the punishment here is more severe than anything they will get at home unless they are from Singapore or Indonesia.

Singapore has a very modern and civilized prison.

A work colleague of mine who ended up being jailed for fraud described it as something similar to doing his national service. Civilized but regimented.

The Singapore justice system includes caning as part of some punishments, but Changi jail itself is very modern and not subject to over crowding.

16 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Overcrowding is a nightmare in every prison

Not according to the majority of punters on this board. They want every accused criminal to spend the rest of their life behind bars, whether tried and convicted or not.

16 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Overcrowding is a nightmare in every prison. In fact there are too many prisoners who could be punished in another way than put in prison. Nowadays we still read if there are fines for "minor" offences, that people face a punishment of up to 20k or 1 yr jail or so. We all know that life in prison is miserable, but in overcrowded jails with no facilities and between big criminals, nobody will get better or change to a better behavior when being released. Often it is said that criminals are made in prisons.

Bangkok Hilton is an example, and the mini series with Nicole Kidman very moving.

Anyway Thailand should stop putting everybody behind bars but look for other punishment like electronic braces, community service etc and only put murders, drugs dealers, and maffia members and such kind of people behind bars. Not for violating a simple law like shoplifting or speeding or whatever...

Looks nice on paper. Unfortunately, it does not reflect the reality and is not currently possible. Putting aside the political activity related detentions, Thailand does not incarcerate on a whim. There are approx. 330,000 prisoners in a system built to hold 240,000. Approx. 1/3 of prisoners are not convicted, but are on remand because they are dangerous offenders, or in most cases are unable to meet bail conditions (financial guarantee, a place to stay, family support etc.) Most of the detainees are held for drug offences. Thailand has a drug problem, specifically yaba that is directly linked to mental health. And therein is the reason why all the wonderful notions of diversion, community service, home detention are not much use.

If a person does not have family support or a place to stay, how do you expect them to be released into the community? long term yaba users tend to have burnt their family links and are unwanted in their communities because of their anti social behaviour. If they are poor and cannot raise even a minimum amount of bail, what do you expect to be done. Yaba users are irrational, unmanageable and are not easily treated. More often than not, they are mentally ill. Ankle monitors, home detention does not work, nor protect the community. In an ideal world, the drug law offenders would be treated at mental health facilities, and/or be sent to rehab and treated. In the real world, it does not and cannot work that way. Yaba requires isolation from other users and intensive therapy. It also requires a desire to change. In a country of 70 million, there will always be a small group who are incapable of change or too resistant to change. Thailand has a mental health problem

The only viable option is to lock them up until they are too ill to continue as criminals or they grow out of their behaviour. The likelihood of an early death for methamphetamine users is increased, the longer the person uses the drug. There's rather grim Swedish study that looked at the health problems of methamphetamine users. They die off relatively quickly.

There was a study done in Thailand (see below) that followed up on yaba users. These were patients who were in hospital, which suggests that they had the means and support for an intervention, so more likely to be helped. After just 5 years, 8% of the study subjects were dead due to suicide, HIV or accident. their likelihood of cancers, cardiovascular and kidney disease was significantly greater than their non drug using age group.mThe 1000+ patients were diagnosed with various mental illnesses: psychotic disorders (15.8%), alcohol use disorders (52.1%) and suicidality (22.3%). Sometimes the illness was a result of the drug use and at other times was a motivation for the drug use. The one obvious conclusion is that mental illness was a major factor.

All this to say, that until Thailand has the thousands of mental health professionals, a change in its culture that sees mental illness as a taboo and billions of baht to spend on mental health, alternatives to detention will be unlikely. In the interim, execution of the yaba cartel leaders and an absolute crackdown on the manufacture, importation and distribution is the only thing that will reduce the likelihood of new prison detainees.

Reference: Kittirattanapaiboon P, Mahatnirunkul S, Booncharoen H, Thummawomg P, Dumrongchai U, Chutha W. Long-term outcomes in methamphetamine psychosis patients after first hospitalisation. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2010;29:456–61. doi: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2010.00196.x.

43 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Singapore has a very modern and civilized prison.

A work colleague of mine who ended up being jailed for fraud described it as something similar to doing his national service. Civilized but regimented.

The Singapore justice system includes caning as part of some punishments, but Changi jail itself is very modern and not subject to over crowding.

Changi is where the maximum security prisoners are held. It's harsh. Your friend went to one of the few minimum security facilities.

This is Changi

21 hours ago, Old Croc said:

While I believe punishment should fit the crime, I don't believe State sanctioned torture should be a part of any sentence.

Giving free rein to a few sadists to practise their perversions on criminals locked up and under their control is as bad as the crimes that got their victims jailed.

The Scandinavian style motel units for prisoners appear ludicrous, but in my opinion, whippings, shackles, starvation, overcrowding and poor sanitation is medieval.

The advocates of such behavior here perhaps should move to countries like North Korea, Russia or another place once considered great, where the state condones political imprisonment, torture and murder.

They could also move to the USA because the ADX Supermax prison in Colorado was designed by sadists for the specific purpose of psychologically torturing its prisoners. I should also mention that, as an American, I am both shocked and very disappointed that my own government has lowered itself to engaging in and endorsing institutionalized sadism.

17 hours ago, BusyB said:

But from what I can gather the best rates of rehabilitation and lowest recidivism in the world.

For misguided youngsters prison can easily become a rite of passage and apprenticeship in crime. But for those who are beyond reach of probation what's left?

I certainly think 'holiday camps' or not, full life terms should be more the norm than the exception. Criminals may still have basic human rights, but I place the right of the public to be protected from such types far higher.

I see the scum that battered those WPCs in Manchester got a joke 3 and a half years. That is ludicrous. Scum like that should only come out as very old people who aren't capable of that any more. I don't want to find myself having a problem with ignorant thugs like that on a street or in a train or bus. I have rights as well.

About the only things America does right in my opinion is Angola. Where you even get buried behind the prison walls.

To partially quote someone in a way that distorts the meaning is against the rules of the forum.

I didn't opine against the Scandinavian model. When I wrote the post, I was well aware of the recidivism rates you mentioned in the first para.

542, USA,

426, Thailand.

/100,000

20 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

the level of civilization of a country you can see on the number of prison/inmates....

11 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

Shackles, if placed properly, are not a huge issue as to food and overcrowding. Sorry, but anyone who comes to this country knows that the punishment here is more severe than anything they will get at home unless they are from Singapore or Indonesia.

The funny thing that you miss is the biggest joke of all.

It is not the guards or system that torments or harasses prisoners. It is the prisoners who will pass judgment and decide. Hence, in U.S. prisons, you hear of people getting shanked who were child molesters.

Back when Coke still came in a glass bottle, it was used for child molesters and stoolies. Bend them over, shove them in, and then push them home with a steel bar. KP used ot have a segregated area for those who would be great playthings for the hardened cons. Still do at the newer prison in Milhaven.

I don't think being shackled for months or years is a small inconvenience, I regard it as torture. I mentioned it as part of a slew of punishments. I wasn't rating them in any sort of order. A moot point anyway as I believe Thailand no longer shackles prisoners. Apparently, they didn't agree with you.

I don't understand how you think I missed the joke (?) about inmates dispensing their own form of punishment, or how that absolves staff from their institutionalised punishment regimes.

I'm not unknowledgeable on the subject of prisons, my former work took me inside at least a dozen of them ranging from high security, women only, and one that specialised in sex offenders.

The Truth About Thailand's Notorious Bangkok Hilton

The "Truth?" It should serve as a deterrent for anyone considering criminal activity in Thailand.

In Australia, I've driven into a prison farm through bushland, no fences, and only found inmates wandering around doing chores. No staff in sight. Had to ask an inmate where admin was. It was for very low risk offenders and those with pending release dates.

5 hours ago, Old Croc said:

To partially quote someone in a way that distorts the meaning is against the rules of the forum.

I didn't opine against the Scandinavian model. When I wrote the post, I was well aware of the recidivism rates you mentioned in the first para.

Sorry, it looks like I could have written that better. I was agreeing with you and adding positive information in support. Not criticizing or taking a cheap shot. I would never mis/twistquote someone, partially or wholly - intentionally anyway.

I appreciate looking now it could be considered a disagreement. It wasn't.

On 6/27/2026 at 11:22 AM, Roel said:

Must have been some serious hanky panky as Bang Kwang inmates have sentences of 25 years or longer.

Probably was financial rather than h.p.

That would explain the adoring crowd outside !

I knew someone who was in there,he said it was not a nice place.He is out and free now,all i know it is pretty hard core for some if you are in it

Not to get off topic but the worst Asian prisons are in Manila Philippines

On 6/27/2026 at 11:48 AM, Old Croc said:

Lately it seems to be because you can buy it in a shop on any street corner.

You can still easily end up in Bangkok Hilton for many years.

On 6/27/2026 at 10:45 PM, Patong2021 said:

Changi is where the maximum security prisoners are held. It's harsh. Your friend went to one of the few minimum security facilities.

This is Changi

There is a difference between harsh and inhumane. Changi prisoners are not held in over crowded conditions, they are fed sufficient food.

The post to which I replied said that Thai prisons were the worst except for Singapore and Indonesia. I do not believe that to be true in respect of Singapore.

I offered the example of my work colleague ( not friend) who was held at Changi, obviously not the maximum security centre as he did 10 months for fraud.

But the maximum security centre is clean, organised and humane. It’s not a holiday camp. A person does not enjoy their time there, it’s meant to be a deterrent.

In summery, give me a choice between the Bangkok Hilton and Changi, I would opt for Changi. It’s a hypothetical argument and perhaps others would prefer the Thai version of maximum security. I would not.

On 6/27/2026 at 7:41 PM, BusyB said:

Pattaya ladyboys get released an hour after arrest for 100 baht and a wai.

I don’t doubt what you say, but my post wasn’t referring to lady boys arrested for an unspecified crime, so I’m not sure how I can respond.

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

I don’t doubt what you say, but my post wasn’t referring to lady boys arrested for an unspecified crime, so I’m not sure how I can respond.

It was just a weak attempt at raising a grin or two ;D

On 6/27/2026 at 6:05 AM, rocketboy2 said:

Compared to the Bangkok Hilton.

Yes they are holiday camps.

Any prison is a nightmare NZ prisons are horrible full of gang members, sodomy, you get beaten up if you refuse, they have a holiday camp prison for the rich where you can grow vegetables, paint pictures and lots of other things.