Bangkok Prison - On Bbc Tv

[WilliamIV]

Bangkok Hilton

[Neeranam]

Are you a Glasgoow Rangers fan, Billy?

[The_Moog]

Repeated at

Saturday 19.10

Sunday 02.10

Very good programme about the real 'Bangkok Hilton' featuring prisoners Andrew Hawke and Michael Connell.

...and the life size concrete giraffe in the executions area to 'brighten up the place'.

[Ajarn]

Repeated at 

Saturday 19.10

Sunday  02.10

Very good programme about the real 'Bangkok Hilton' featuring prisoners Andrew Hawke and Michael Connell.

...and the life size concrete giraffe in the executions area to 'brighten up the place'.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai times?

[Khutan]

...and the life size concrete giraffe in the executions area to 'brighten up the place'.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am sure that would go through the prisoners mind as they go to the chamber "Oh that giraffe makes this all worth while:

A good documentry

[The_Moog]

Repeated at

Saturday 19.10

Sunday 02.10

Very good programme about the real 'Bangkok Hilton' featuring prisoners Andrew Hawke and Michael Connell.

...and the life size concrete giraffe in the executions area to 'brighten up the place'.

The above times are Thai time. Its on BBC World.

[ChiangMaiThai]

God that was a depressing program. A lifetime in that place. Jesus. I found the monk quite offensive. He supprted the death penalty because it 'protects the nation'. How does it protect the nation and why is a Buddhist monk openly supporting the death penalty, especially when up until late 2003, they were executing by way of a machine gun in the back? He said it was okay because Buddha said that we should look at the intention behind an act and the intention was to protect the nation. So I guess the drug dealers they interviewed who got into it to support their families should be released. Their intention was good after all. They just went about it the wrong way.

[chuchok]

Would it be safe to assume, that this was a somewhat sanitized documentry?

[ChiangMaiThai]

Would it be safe to assume, that this was a somewhat sanitized documentry?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was the first time that they let cameras into the prison and of course the prison officials had plenty of time to prepare. But even the sanitized version looked like ######.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Well there's only golf on at the moment.

If it's ever shown on terrestrial BBC back home, somebody let me know.

[The_Moog]

If it's ever shown on terrestrial BBC back home, somebody let me know.

You'll see it from the inside one day El Scampo.

We'll come and bring you some bananas.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

If it's ever shown on terrestrial BBC back home, somebody let me know.

You'll see it from the inside one day El Scampo.

We'll come and bring you some bananas.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey, that's racist that is.

[Backpack_thailand]

This programme was shown about 6 months ago on BBC World. Having watched it then and also read the book "Damage Done" a few times, I will NEVER do anything wrong in Thailand!

I advise all newcomers to the LOS to read this book, get rid of any silly temptations for a "quick buck".

[dr_Pat_Pong]

This programme was shown about 6 months ago on BBC World. Having watched it then and also read the book "Damage Done" a few times, I will NEVER do anything wrong in Thailand!

I advise all newcomers to the LOS to read this book, get rid of any silly temptations for a "quick buck".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sound advice BP

[maerim]

This programme was shown about 6 months ago on BBC World. Having watched it then and also read the book "Damage Done" a few times, I will NEVER do anything wrong in Thailand

I am sure I won't either but does anyone know the aquittal rate here?

I bet not that many are found not guilty.

[dereklev]

This programme was shown about 6 months ago on BBC World. Having watched it then and also read the book "Damage Done" a few times, I will NEVER do anything wrong in Thailand

I am sure I won't either but does anyone know the aquittal rate here?

I bet not that many are found not guilty.

I bet there aren't too!!!

I do not understand how anyone can be stupid enough to try to smuggle drugs in or out of Thailand.

Then when imprisoned cry foul at the sentence.

It has long been public knowledge that DRUGS = DEATH in many SE Asian countries!!

Yes I understand that desperation leads people to do stupid things but.............

[terdsak_12]

Saw the documentry last night, good viewing, some dodgy translating on the BBCs behalf, journalistic sensasionalism!!

Seemed to me they hid 5,000 of the inmates, weren't that many knocking around.

Although I sympathise with the guys banged up, and see the 99 year sentences harsh, everyone far and wide knows about Thailand's drug rules.

[ChiangMaiThai]

I do not understand how anyone can be stupid enough to try to smuggle drugs in or out of Thailand.

Then when imprisoned cry foul at the sentence.

It has long been public knowledge that DRUGS = DEATH in many SE Asian countries!!

Yes I understand that desperation leads people to do stupid things but.............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you don't understand, then maybe you need to watch the documentary a second time and listen to what the inmates had to say this time. Harsh drug sentences should only be handed down in certain circumstances. For example, clearly marijuana and ecstacy pose far less a threat than heroin and ya ba. But the authorities are always ###### bent on punishment. I have a friend in the states who was caught with 4kg of marijuana at the same age as this poor Australian girl now about to do 20 years in Indonesia. He was fined, and spent weekends in jail for 6 months. That put a good scare into him. He now works for a government agency in Washington DC, a good productive member of society. God forbid he had commited the same crime in SE Asia. Years behind bars for what?

[dereklev]

I do not understand how anyone can be stupid enough to try to smuggle drugs in or out of Thailand.

Then when imprisoned cry foul at the sentence.

It has long been public knowledge that DRUGS = DEATH in many SE Asian countries!!

Yes I understand that desperation leads people to do stupid things but.............

If you don't understand, then maybe you need to watch the documentary a second time and listen to what the inmates had to say this time. Harsh drug sentences should only be handed down in certain circumstances. For example, clearly marijuana and ecstacy pose far less a threat than heroin and ya ba. But the authorities are always ###### bent on punishment. I have a friend in the states who was caught with 4kg of marijuana at the same age as this poor Australian girl now about to do 20 years in Indonesia. He was fined, and spent weekends in jail for 6 months. That put a good scare into him. He now works for a government agency in Washington DC, a good productive member of society. God forbid he had commited the same crime in SE Asia. Years behind bars for what?

ChiangMaiThai you miss my point and it seems what the inmates said!

My point is why Thailand or Indonesia where the sentences are beyond belief harsh!

And the bearded guy with the 50 years after pleading guilty was smuggling 4+ ks of heroin!

I do not agree with such sentences, I am merely saying they must have known the penalties before undertaking their venture!

I am very happy your friend got off so lightly but he most certainly would be doing at least 5 years if he was caught with the same amount in the US today.

[mpdkorat]

Repeated at 

Saturday 19.10

Sunday   02.10

Very good programme about the real 'Bangkok Hilton' featuring prisoners Andrew Hawke and Michael Connell.

...and the life size concrete giraffe in the executions area to 'brighten up the place'.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thai times?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well its Sunday and 2.19pm and there is a French guy flying around in a light aircraft on BBC world at the moment?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You trust the BBC ?

[mpdkorat]

You trust the BBC ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mybe this french pilot is going to get locked up the the BKK hilton?

[The_Moog]

Sorry - you've missed it

Saturday 19.10

Sunday  02.10

= 24 hour clock.

[ChiangMaiThai]

I do not understand how anyone can be stupid enough to try to smuggle drugs in or out of Thailand.

Then when imprisoned cry foul at the sentence.

It has long been public knowledge that DRUGS = DEATH in many SE Asian countries!!

Yes I understand that desperation leads people to do stupid things but.............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you don't understand, then maybe you need to watch the documentary a second time and listen to what the inmates had to say this time. Harsh drug sentences should only be handed down in certain circumstances. For example, clearly marijuana and ecstacy pose far less a threat than heroin and ya ba. But the authorities are always ###### bent on punishment. I have a friend in the states who was caught with 4kg of marijuana at the same age as this poor Australian girl now about to do 20 years in Indonesia. He was fined, and spent weekends in jail for 6 months. That put a good scare into him. He now works for a government agency in Washington DC, a good productive member of society. God forbid he had commited the same crime in SE Asia. Years behind bars for what?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ChiangMaiThai you miss my point and it seems what the inmates said!

My point is why Thailand or Indonesia where the sentences are beyond belief harsh!

And the bearded guy with the 50 years after pleading guilty was smuggling 4+ ks of heroin!

I do not agree with such sentences, I am merely saying they must have known the penalties before undertaking their venture!

I am very happy your friend got off so lightly but he most certainly would be doing at least 5 years if he was caught with the same amount in the US today.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right in so far as if you choose to get involved in the drug trade, if you do a little research, you would avoid Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Iran, China etc. Having said that, a lot of the guys they interviewed, even some of the Thai ones, were simply desperate. They said they were scared of going to jail, but they were more scared of starving. Maybe there were other options, but its not hard for me to understand how someone could come to a point of desperation and think to themselves that 'if they can just do this a couple times'. Especially some of the Nigerians. What are your options if you have a family and no connections in Nigeria? I think that it is easy to jump to judging these people when you can be relatively sure that you will never face the circumstances that they faced.

And some of these other guys, like the 20 year old from England, just seemed lacking in education. He just put some pills in his bag and flew on over. How many people has ecstacy killed? A handful. And it was becuase they went dancing all night and didn't drink water. And now this kid will sit in jail for 99 years. What has been accomplished? You think if he was deported after serving a couple years that he would try it again? 100% sure he would not. But the government loves punishment, unless it involves one of their own. What ever happened to the wife of the Paradise casino owner up in Chiang Rai? She was caught with a van full of yaa baa. Conveniently, the story came and went...

Anyway, I think the bearded guy was doing time for 8 grams. Or did I misunderstand? You got to feel sorry for him in that the Englsih government doesn't fight to allow him to do time back home while the Americans are rushed out after 10 years.

Marijuana laws in the US are very dependent on the state. There are some states where my friend would still be in jail. Luckily, he lived in a resonable place and rather than rotting away in jail, he's out contributing, ironically, to the US government.

[Rumpole]

You're right in so far as if you choose to get involved in the drug trade, if you do a little research, you would avoid Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Iran, China etc. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, the Chinese are generally fairly lenient towards foreigners possessing drugs, as long as they are not dealing and there are no locals involved. More often than not a blind eye will be turned, unless someone has it in for you.

Still wouldn't want to risk it, though.

Edited May 29, 2005 by Rumpole

[Abandon]

In fact since that documentary things have eased up a lot, partly due to general progress, and partly due to the UN inspection team that was there recently.

For example, a LOT of prisoners have been moved out. Now they no longer use corridors as cells and inmate numbers per cell have been reduced for 35+ to 25+, which the prisoners tell me has made a big difference. Also restrictions on what can be sent inside, mostly food, have been eased enormously. They can now use large ice boxes and buy ice, to use as makeshift fridges. Something that was not allowed before, and there was physically no space until the easing of overcrowding. Some safety gear has been introduced for the forced labour workers too. Also the visitors area has been modernised, and visitors now sit in air con rooms, and can chat via telephone rather than shouting (used to be a terrific din). It is still pretty grim of course.....

As for sentences - the prisoners there are not the hardened drug dealers, who continue their trade unabated. the Westerners are generally just very stupid boys who made a very stupid mistake. The dealers are professional conmen and very convincing, and promise a lot of 'easy' money. Almost all of them do not have prior convictions, and any sane country would not lock them up for 40+ years. Their records by the way, are taken into consideration ONLY if they have prior convictions, if they are clean it is not considered.

None of them are claiming innocence (bar one and his case is backed by Fair Trials Abroad) but do point out that the sentences do not bear any relation to the crime.

Westerners get it slightly easier than the Thais - with longer visiting hours, and they are not forced into labour. They also get some assistence from their embassy (UK is embassy is pretty lousy) and organisations such as Prisoners Abroad. They automatically get their Death Penalties reduced to life, and are eligible for transfer to their home country after 8 years in most cases. There they are generally resentenced according to that countries own sentence standard, which means release. South Africans are not eligible, and Brits are told they will serve half their original sentence according to treaty agreements (that other countries work around).

Bang Kwang, though awful, is considered by most prisoners as preferable to Western prisons. Certainly all US prisoners refuse transfer until they have guarentee of quick release. Advantages of Thai prisons is they are safe from violence and male rape, give a lot of freedom and time to spend in the yard etc.. and the guards are helpful and friendly if one keeps out of trouble. Disadvantages are the heat, medical facilites, and food that one cannot live on. The main complaint is Boredom, and so they appreciate books of any kind.