Friend In Pattaya Special Prison

[horanja]

I have a friend in Pattaya Special Prison, I live in Aust. and have never been out of this country, so I need as much info as possible.

He is in for a drug related issue but has not been charged yet. We are told that will be soon and he is probably facing 50 years.

We are also told that he can spend 200B a day in the prison shop. The thing is we are also told that we can arrange for him to get better food and medication, if we can supply him with cartons of cigs for bartering and or dare I say it bribeing.

Being so far away and unaware of local practices I dont have a clue if this is true or what is the going rate for a carton of cigs. and how many cigs for a chook etc

really look forward to some help here

jack

[howtoescape]

Wait for the let him rot in hel_l posters they are coming.

I believe that westerners in Thai prisons can get extra money sent directly to their prison bank acocunt each month enabling them to buy goods to trade, i am unsure as to whether you can actually send cigarettes direct.

http://www.thaiprisonlife.com/index.php?op...&Itemid=113

Anyway they are banning cigarettes in public places from next month wouldnt want this boy getting in further trouble.

[cali4995]

Horanja, your friends embassy should have sent an outreach staffer to

check-up on him. So many things, legal representation, notify an immediate

family member etc. Pattaya city has a couple of temporary holding areas

but more than likely he is in Chonburi remand prison. This is where Thai

staffers at the foreigner's respective embassy can really help, in finding

out just where the person is at the moment. As far as I know you can put

minor funds on an individual's account for essential purchases. I'm not

saying it isn't possible for some black-market exchange. Who knows.

I've tried to help a couple folks locate people in this regard but it always

ends-up being a bit of a wild-goose chase because you have so little

information to work with. That's kind of you not to forget your friend,

I'm sure any visit or small items that could be transferred to him

would be of some assistance. Can't imagine how horrible that is.

[chanman]

More Details?

* How long on remand,

* Seriousness of offence,

Do you know the name of the prison he is being held at? I am sure there is some one here who would make a visit depending on circumstances.

[horanja]

More Details?

* How long on remand,

* Seriousness of offence,

Do you know the name of the prison he is being held at? I am sure there is some one here who would make a visit depending on circumstances.

Pattaya special prison since early november 2007 very serious, due to be charged mid Feb.

He has some one there who visits him and they seem like nice people, however since i've never met them cant be to sure. I'm being asked for more money all the time to make him more comfortable and are being told that cigs are currency of trade. What I really need to know is what is concidered to be an suitable number of cartons for bartering. I really want to help my mate, not line some others pockets

[Andiamo]

Horanja, your friends embassy should have sent an outreach staffer to

check-up on him. So many things, legal representation, notify an immediate

family member etc. Pattaya city has a couple of temporary holding areas

but more than likely he is in Chonburi remand prison. This is where Thai

staffers at the foreigner's respective embassy can really help, in finding

out just where the person is at the moment. As far as I know you can put

minor funds on an individual's account for essential purchases. I'm not

saying it isn't possible for some black-market exchange. Who knows.

I've tried to help a couple folks locate people in this regard but it always

ends-up being a bit of a wild-goose chase because you have so little

information to work with. That's kind of you not to forget your friend,

I'm sure any visit or small items that could be transferred to him

would be of some assistance. Can't imagine how horrible that is.

Good post above Cali.

Firstly, you need to contact the Embassy of your friend's nationality and ascertain:-

1) Do they know about his case?

2) If so, have they been to visit him? If not, can they find out for you where he is AND visit him AND make sure he is access to adequte legal representation? (Usually the Embassy has a List of Lawyers although most Embassies cannot get directly involved in teh legal process, they can provide information on REPUTABLE Laywers. NB. If Australian, http://www.austembassy.or.th/bkok/Consular%5fP7.html). You may need to keep on their case, i.e. He is a citizen and is requesting Embassy/Consular assistance.

3) Make sure you get a contact name and contact details at the Embassy of the Official who is responsible for Prison Visits etc.

4) You need to know his Building Number and Prison address prior to sending a money order/care parcel.

5) Before the person is sentenced at Court, they are usually held in a Remand/Special Prison. After they have been sentenced, depending upon the length of sentence, they may get transferred to another prison. Vital for you to know and to keep his contact details updated especially if you are sending money orders/parcels etc.

You might wish to check out this website also http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/...nong_palai.html

This website lists Pattaya Remand Prison's address as:-

57 Nong Pla Lai, Amphoe Banglamung Chonburi

Phone number: +66 3 824 0803

Fax number: +66 3 824 0802

Alternatively, if you have his full name, nationality and rough idea of the date he was brought to the Prison, you could also contact the Prison directly..... if you know which exact prison he is beiong held in.

As far as I am aware, prisoners in Thailand use cigarettes just like cash - like a barter system, i.e. 2 cigarettes for x,y etc or a pack of cigarettes for somebody doing their washing, having space to sleep, changing room to a less crowded room etc etc. I know if you go to visit prisoners, you can deposit money and also buy cigarettes and other food and fruit etc in the prison shop and then they will be sent inside to the prisoner on the same day. Any cash deposited is also deposited in the prisoner's account, usually available the following day.

However, as far as I am aware, you can't send cigarettes via the post.

This website also lists a number of Prisons and has helpful information about visiting prisoners in Thailand.

http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/...d.html#VISITING

I hope you manage to locate your friend and provide assistance.

Kind regards

Andiamo

Edited January 28, 2008 by Andiamo

[Andiamo]

As one doesn't know the full background to the particular case/situation, one should refrain from judging IMHO.

The OP asked for assistance and I responded in kind.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Andiamo

[jeff_gangl]

I have a friend in Pattaya Special Prison, I live in Aust. and have never been out of this country, so I need as much info as possible.

He is in for a drug related issue but has not been charged yet. We are told that will be soon and he is probably facing 50 years.

We are also told that he can spend 200B a day in the prison shop. The thing is we are also told that we can arrange for him to get better food and medication, if we can supply him with cartons of cigs for bartering and or dare I say it bribeing.

Being so far away and unaware of local practices I dont have a clue if this is true or what is the going rate for a carton of cigs. and how many cigs for a chook etc

really look forward to some help here

jack

Jack...

I supported someone in jail for 7 months...I had to buy a place to sleep, food ( other than dirty white rice ) cigs, and blankets...ect ect....about 90% of the money I left with the prison officials never saw its way to the person it was meant for...the cost was pretty high...and it was only 7 months...I would stop worrying about cigs and start worrying about how you intend to feed this guy...I made personal visits to give money, I am 100% sure had I not been in Thailand, things would have been much worse....I suggest help from your embassy, although the embassy in question in my friends case did very little to help. Good luck....50 years means your freind did something very stupid indeed...forget cigs...dont send him anything sharp...

[Andiamo]

More Details?

* How long on remand,

* Seriousness of offence,

Do you know the name of the prison he is being held at? I am sure there is some one here who would make a visit depending on circumstances.

Pattaya special prison since early november 2007 very serious, due to be charged mid Feb.

He has some one there who visits him and they seem like nice people, however since i've never met them cant be to sure. I'm being asked for more money all the time to make him more comfortable and are being told that cigs are currency of trade. What I really need to know is what is concidered to be an suitable number of cartons for bartering. I really want to help my mate, not line some others pockets

mmm okay, I understand your concern re: cigarettes however, IMO, I think you should focus on the lawyer situation.

I am presuming he has a good, reputable, experienced lawyer? This should be your primary concern and ensuring that when he does go to Court, the Lawyer is there to represent him AND that he (your friend) understands what is going on and WHAT exactly he is pleading GUILTY or NOT GUILTY to.

How many cases there have been where due to language/no lawyer etc, the defendant has been sentenced without fully understanding what he was being accused of or what he was pleading guilty to. If he doesn't understand correctly and have a lawyer, he could find himself pleading guilty to a more serious charge........which of course means a longer sentence.

This is NOT Europe or the UK with similar Police & Legal Systems.

Who has said about 50 years.... if it is the Police, they may be trying to scare him or get him to accept a charge (to make sure they get a conviction) and I would be hesitant to believe what they say. I would however, believe what a reputable lawyer was saying reagrding length of sentence etc.

Hence, I think the priority should be to ensure he has a good lawyer. If I am correct, if the defendant accepts the case - he is entitled to a 50% reduction on the sentence for complying. But I must stress, make sure he FULLY understands what he is being charged with. I would imagine there is a big difference in the length of sentence between possession and intent to supply etc. (I am just speculating as I do not know the particular details of your friend's case).

Also, a familiar complaint seems to be that there was no Translator in the Court and the defendant pleaded guilty without understanding exactly what he was pleading guilty to.

Just my two cents...

[Tammi]

Victory Family Church and its Mercy Ministry go to the jail. Perhaps you can contact them. The office is +66 38 374 531 and email is [email protected]

[Andiamo]

I have a friend in Pattaya Special Prison, I live in Aust. and have never been out of this country, so I need as much info as possible.

He is in for a drug related issue but has not been charged yet. We are told that will be soon and he is probably facing 50 years.

We are also told that he can spend 200B a day in the prison shop. The thing is we are also told that we can arrange for him to get better food and medication, if we can supply him with cartons of cigs for bartering and or dare I say it bribeing.

Being so far away and unaware of local practices I dont have a clue if this is true or what is the going rate for a carton of cigs. and how many cigs for a chook etc

really look forward to some help here

jack

Jack...

I supported someone in jail for 7 months...I had to buy a place to sleep, food ( other than dirty white rice ) cigs, and blankets...ect ect....about 90% of the money I left with the prison officials never saw its way to the person it was meant for...[/b]the cost was pretty high...and it was only 7 months...I would stop worrying about cigs and start worrying about how you intend to feed this guy...I made personal visits to give money, I am 100% sure had I not been in Thailand, things would have been much worse....I suggest help from your embassy, although the embassy in question in my friends case did very little to help. Good luck....50 years means your freind did something very stupid indeed...forget cigs...dont send him anything sharp...

You should ONLY deposit money with the Desk/Office that is responsible for this. You will get a receipt and the money will be transferred to the prisoner's account by the next day.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Andiamo

[cali4995]

Andiamo, you're quite scary with all this information, I wouldn't want to

run into you alone on a dark soi. I looked at that phaseloop link

you provided and it does make a reference to nong palai "special"

prison. I guess chonburi and bkk are for varying severity of offences.

What a mess, some guys must just languish in there. There's a

worthwhile charitable activity if you had the time and stomach for it.

[Andiamo]

Andiamo, you're quite scary with all this information, I wouldn't want to

run into you alone on a dark soi. I looked at that phaseloop link

you provided and it does make a reference to nong palai "special"

prison. I guess chonburi and bkk are for varying severity of offences.

What a mess, some guys must just languish in there. There's a

worthwhile charitable activity if you had the time and stomach for it.

Awww, I'm not that scary honestly Just trying to share some information and help out the OP.

The problem often here in Thailand is that people equate the Police, Jail and Court situation to that of their home country and they are NOT alike at all! This should be clearly understood. We are NOT comparing like with like. The Police focus is on Convictions - regardless if the defendant is guilty or not - and THAT is why you need a GOOD lawyer.

An all too familiar lament is that ""Well the Police promised/said that if I accepted the charge i.e. Pleaded guilty AND/OR DIDN'T USE A LAWYER, I would just get a fine and be released..." A 2/3/4/5 year sentence later......... the defendant asks him or herself, "WHY did I believe the Police?" WHY was there no translator?" WHY did I plead to a Greater offence when that isn't what I did?, Or if I even did anything at all......!!

As I stated above, we don't KNOW the facts of this case, and therefore, IME, one should NOT judge.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Andiamo

[horanja]

There are some people who have read my post and understood the situation and have offered good advice. To those thank you.

Others might not realise that we do not all have such a strong nature, there are followers and leaders. Guilty or not guilty is not the question. For such a crime in this country he would be free in 2 years. As soon as i heard of my friends situation i tried to find out as much as I could about the legal system in Thailand. When I read about the general conditions the prisoners face there and the large numbers who attempt suicide I realised there must be something I could to prevent his sentence from turning into a death sentence.

Just maybe my friend was an orphan himself and has already helped many, maybe he has helped save many lives before, including my own.

I'm just trying to find a way to make his stay more bareable

[taxexile]

not that i have much sympathy for your friend , but it might be worth discussing with the lawyer the possibility of offering to pay the police to have the charges lessened.

if he does get convicted though , i believe after serving some of his time in thailand , he will get transferred to an australian prison to serve out the remainder of his sentence.

[Maestro]

Off-topic posts and the replies thereto have been deleted.

--

Maestro

[Basil B]

I would expect the Embassy/consulate of any civilized country to at least make some form of welfare visits and to en shore the Justice is fair.

Though I have no sympathy should should he be guilty of a drugs related offense I do believe a person is not guilty until proved guilty.

I assume the person concerned is Australian and if you feel your Friend is not getting fair treatment may be worth contacting the following organization, Fair trials International although they claim to help all Europeans get fair treatment abroad I am shore the would at least give you some advice and may be able to put you in touch with any similar organization that could help your Friend.

BB

[Tolley]

It is going to be very hard for the OP to ascertain the situation and assist unless he has some assistance on the ground in Thailand.

If it is not possible for the OP to go to Thailand maybe he could find someone on the ground in Pattaya (farang) who could help out.

I feel very sorry for anyone who has to spend a long time in any gaol anywhere.

I honestly can't understand the lack of compassion of many posters.

Regardless of what the individual may have done and that they may well deserve a prison term it is still a very harsh existance in a Thai prison.

[taxexile]

Regardless of what the individual may have done and that they may well deserve a prison term it is still a very harsh existance in a Thai prison.

thats the whole point of prison , its a punishment.

[Westerner]

Regardless of what the individual may have done and that they may well deserve a prison term it is still a very harsh existance in a Thai prison.

thats the whole point of prison , its a punishment.

Exactly. You do the crime you serve the time .

[ClaytonSeymour]

It is going to be very hard for the OP to ascertain the situation and assist unless he has some assistance on the ground in Thailand.

If it is not possible for the OP to go to Thailand maybe he could find someone on the ground in Pattaya (farang) who could help out.

I feel very sorry for anyone who has to spend a long time in any gaol anywhere. I don't feel sorry for any of them pal - if a member of my family was caught smuggling drugs then I'd want them severely punished.

I honestly can't understand the lack of compassion of many posters. I don't understand do gooders who feel sorry for people who heap misery on others.

Regardless of what the individual may have done and that they may well deserve a prison term it is still a very harsh existance in a Thai prison. So it should be.

[Maigo6]

I think that helping a Friend in need isn't a bad thing to do.

Many people from all walks of life make wrong decisions, be it a Company Chairman, a Prime Minister or a guy on Social Security, after all, they're only human with all the failings of humans.

In Thailand many people have become victims of life itself, they come to Thailand, fall in love etc etc and will take risks to maintain the life they think they cannot live without.

I'm quite sure that the vast majority of people in Thai Jails serving incredibly long sentences didn't come to Thailand with the intent of becoming involved in the drug trade, it is something that just happened, as it does in other parts of the world where the penalties are even more severe.

There but for the grace of God go I.

Hope you can help your friend out, with some assistance he'll be OK, also he'll be able to get transferred back to Australia after a few years.

[funfun]

I have a friend in Pattaya Special Prison, I live in Aust. and have never been out of this country, so I need as much info as possible.

He is in for a drug related issue but has not been charged yet. We are told that will be soon and he is probably facing 50 years.

We are also told that he can spend 200B a day in the prison shop. The thing is we are also told that we can arrange for him to get better food and medication, if we can supply him with cartons of cigs for bartering and or dare I say it bribeing.

Being so far away and unaware of local practices I dont have a clue if this is true or what is the going rate for a carton of cigs. and how many cigs for a chook etc

really look forward to some help here

jack

Where is aust?

if austrailia maybe check this, she might gie you some advice ot know this man

type his name here, or if someone posts ya cant cos the forum rules, pm me his name and ill try having a nosey for you!

ps. i dont work for an embassy or police or anything you might think, i just live in pattaya.

Good Luck

chris

[Westerner]

It is going to be very hard for the OP to ascertain the situation and assist unless he has some assistance on the ground in Thailand.

If it is not possible for the OP to go to Thailand maybe he could find someone on the ground in Pattaya (farang) who could help out.

I feel very sorry for anyone who has to spend a long time in any gaol anywhere. I don't feel sorry for any of them pal - if a member of my family was caught smuggling drugs then I'd want them severely punished.

I honestly can't understand the lack of compassion of many posters. I don't understand do gooders who feel sorry for people who heap misery on others.

Regardless of what the individual may have done and that they may well deserve a prison term it is still a very harsh existance in a Thai prison. So it should be.

Seconded!

[Gary A]

I once saw a T shirt that said "It's too bad stupid isn't painful". Here in Thailand, being stupid CAN be painful if you get caught.

[farangtingtong]

Regardless of what the individual may have done and that they may well deserve a prison term it is still a very harsh existance in a Thai prison.

thats the whole point of prison , its a punishment.

Did I miss something?

I thought that he was waiting for his trial in a drug related matter for which a sentence of 50 years is possible.

For me: No trial, no punishment and IF there was a drugs matter with a sentence up to 50 years, than it was probably -being in possession of some yabaa tablets/marihuana. No danger for society, not more than the criminal <deleted> running around free at the moment.

Edited January 30, 2008 by farangtingtong

[TopDogger]

Did I miss something?

I thought that he was waiting for his trial in a drug related matter for which a sentence of 50 years is possible.

For me: No trial, no punishment and IF there was a drugs matter with a sentence up to 50 years, than it was probably -being in possession of some yabaa tablets/marihuana. No danger for society, not more than the criminal <deleted> running around free at the moment.

For 50 years it must be a dam_n sight more than some Yabba.