'Our Cambodian Prison Cell Was Like A Cage For Birds', Released Thai Says

[webfact]

'Our Prison cell was like a cage for birds'

By The Nation

Tainae Mungmajon, Samdin Lertbutr and Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth briefly recount their experiences after being arrested in Cambodia for trespassing

Tainae viewed his detention in a Cambodian jail as life lesson and reaffirmation of Buddhist teachings on the law of karma.

"In my cell, I had time to think about issues like why good people are denied what they deserve and why bad people get the rewards," he said.

Thainae, a newsman and follower of the Santi Asoke Sect, was one of the five Thais freed from a month-long detention in Phnom Penh and returned home on Saturday.

He was recounting his experience at Prey Sar Prison to supporters of the Thai Patriots Network.

After the Cambodian authorities took him into custody for trespassing at Banteay Meanchey opposite Thailand's Sa Kaeo pronvince, he said he had a hard time reconciling his bad fortune as he was a devout Buddhist.

"I am not a bad man nor a drunk nor a foul mouth nor a bully, yet I found myself in prison," he said, attributing his misfortune to bad karma of the past.

"About 20 days in prison were an atonement for the bad things I did during my childhood, before I turned vegetarian and did good deeds to overcome past sins," he said.

He said his prison cell was like a cage for birds, helping him to understand their plight.

Compared to the other detained Thais, he said he considered himself more fortunate because as a single man he had no worries about loved ones. He said some news reports had exaggerated that he missed his wife and children. This was inaccurate since he was not married, he insisted.

To overcome idleness in his cell, he said he spent time excercising and keeping fit. His cellmate Veera Somkwamkid gave him an invaluable advice, saying he should view his detention as a rare opportunity to take a break from a busy workload, he added.

He said he spent about 20 hours per day cooped up in his cell. Wardens allowed him only a three-hour walk in the prison yard.

"Even in the open yard, I felt like a dog under the tight leash of the wardens," he said.

Samdin Lertbutr said his ordeal on the first day of his December 29 arrest was difficulty in getting his message across - Cambodian authorities took him into custody inside Thailand.

"My statement was I was still inside Thailand, therefore I could not answer their question why I had crossed into Cambodia," he said yesterday.

The Cambodians took the seven Thais from Bantaey Meanchey to Phnom Penh. They arrived at the Cambodian capital around 11pm and were interrogated till 2am.

Samdin said that because of the fatigue and late hours, he told the interrogators to write whatever they wanted as he reserved his right to testify in court.

The next morining, prosecutors took statements from him and other detainees disregarding the interrogation of the previous night, he said.

He said the Thai ambassor to Phnom Penh was helpful in arranging legal assistance for the detainees.

After consulatation among the seven, they agreed to be represented by defence lawyers seen as pro-government because they believed what happened was a misunderstanding and strayed accidentally into Cambodian territory, he said.

In regard to legal costs, he said certain Thai businessmen in Phnom Penh helped pay expenses.

Among the detainees, MP Panich and activist Veera Somkwamkid were assigned to VIP cells while Samdin and two others shared a small cell. Two female detainees were held in a separate cell.

Samdin said he realised he had unwittingly crossed about 55 meters into Cambodia after viewing the map shown to him by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who paid the Thais a visit in prison.

"I immediately called my friends in Thailand to inform them about

-- The Nation 2011-01-24

[Travelish]

thai jails are soo much better

[kuffki]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

[Buchholz]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

[KoratFarang]

A good friend of my was in a thai jail for 4 hours after drunk driving, he got out on bail (6000 baht) he told me people was shiting in the corner, because they where not allowed to go to toilet. So clean your own garden before you start cleaning other peoples garden.

If this guy is a so good man as he say !!!

What did he do to stop the black money system ?

What did he do to make the same laws for thais and farangs in thailand ?

[KoratFarang]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

Danish jail = 4 star hotels

[SomTumTiger]

Maybe next time your dumb ass will stay on your own side of the border

[isaanbrit]

QUOTE: had a hard time reconciling his bad fortune as he was a devout Buddhist.

"I am not a bad man nor a drunk nor a foul mouth nor a bully, yet I found myself in prison," he said, attributing his misfortune to bad karma of the past.

"About 20 days in prison were an atonement for the bad things I did during my childhood, before I turned vegetarian and did good deeds to overcome past sins - UNQUOTE

lol - I've never heard a politican try to make themselves sound so saintly without laughing. It's sad how many people actually beleive this though, don't drink, don't eat meat and you'll go to heaven. Restricting people of their political freedoms / freedom of speech is absolutely fine, just don't drink or smoke. The people who's rights we take away probably eat loads of meat anyway so they're way worse then us.

utter crud!

Edited January 24, 2011 by isaanbrit

[Boater]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

Danish jail = 4 star hotels

UK Jails - 5 Star Resort Holiday camp

[spidermike007]

Yes, a Thai official complaining about conditions in a Cambodian jail is indeed humorous. The reality here, is that Hun Sen is playing Abhisit like a fool. He is doing this for publicity, concessions, and as a way of exerting control over his giant, far more powerful neighbor. Not sure what the solution is, but negotiating with a dictator, who disguises himself as a freely elected democratic leader, is a dead end. There is a reason why he has a 5,000 man personal security detail. Nobody knows the extend of his riches, and when it the last time you have read something questioning this, in the Thai press? There is a reason why Thailand is ranked 152, out of 178, in terms of press freedom, by reporters without borders, a very credible ogranization. So, what we are reading in the press is nothing. They are not covering the real issues. They do not want to discuss the real issues at stake here.

[colinscarr]

Lets not forget that it was Thai ultra nationalist fanatics who stirred up the trouble in 2008 to embarrass Samak's government, and that the same fanatics (Veera & friends) stirred things up again a few weeks ago, this time apparently to embarrass the present government. Their imprisonment by the Cambodians was entirely predictable, and they knew it.

Sure Hun Sen is a nasty piece of work, but he didn't reignite the border trouble

[Bagwan]

St. Paul on the road to Damascus?

What did he expect in Cambodia? The Bangkok Hilton? My heart bleeds - not.

[chuang]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Pot calling kettle black..

[Macmundi]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

Danish jail = 4 star hotels

UK Jails - 5 Star Resort Holiday camp

Aussie Jail: BYO Beer n' Shrimps.

[diehard60]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

Gee do we have experience of all three cells? Maybe.

[diehard60]

I think everyone should read this again. They are missing something. In one sentence he says he was arrested on Thai soil and in another sentence he says he strayed across onto Cambodia soil. Was he fist lying and now telling the trueth or what?

[jdinasia]

I think everyone should read this again. They are missing something. In one sentence he says he was arrested on Thai soil and in another sentence he says he strayed across onto Cambodia soil. Was he fist lying and now telling the trueth or what?

The two are not mutually exclusive .... wandered into Cambodia, back into Thailand. Arrested in Thailand. If so then the arrest itself was outside of the jurisdiction of the people making it.

Who knows what the 'trueth' is ?

[bitterbatter]

Maybe this is to much to ask, but maybe he could use this new found insight to fight for some of the injustices in Thailand and the many wrongful imprisonments here. The original intention of prisons was reform. That being said; many Thai politicians could learn alot from twenty days in jail.

[jbrewer]

thai jails are soo much better

[SICHONSTEVE]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

JUST the American jails???????

[SICHONSTEVE]

Well we all know how fond the Thai's are of their caged birds so they must have felt at home, you would think!!!!

[softgeorge]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

Danish jail = 4 star hotels

well when paris Hilton and the royals visit Australia they prefer to stay in our prisons they are that good.

[jayjay0]

Yes, a Thai official complaining about conditions in a Cambodian jail is indeed humorous. The reality here, is that Hun Sen is playing Abhisit like a fool. He is doing this for publicity, concessions, and as a way of exerting control over his giant, far more powerful neighbor. Not sure what the solution is, but negotiating with a dictator, who disguises himself as a freely elected democratic leader, is a dead end. There is a reason why he has a 5,000 man personal security detail. Nobody knows the extend of his riches, and when it the last time you have read something questioning this, in the Thai press? There is a reason why Thailand is ranked 152, out of 178, in terms of press freedom, by reporters without borders, a very credible ogranization. So, what we are reading in the press is nothing. They are not covering the real issues. They do not want to discuss the real issues at stake here.

Are you talking to hear yourself.

You know as well as I do that the lack of freedom of speech is mostly for matters regarding one family.

They are covering the issues that will sell papers. The same as any news paper in the world. Perhaps you are confusing a reluctance to get into a situation where they can be sued for Libel with lack of freedom of speech.

Stop and think about it if they were restricted in what they can print other than on every thing the nation would not need strict laws against libelous comments or accusation's.

Edited January 24, 2011 by jayjay0

[spidermike007]

Yes, a Thai official complaining about conditions in a Cambodian jail is indeed humorous. The reality here, is that Hun Sen is playing Abhisit like a fool. He is doing this for publicity, concessions, and as a way of exerting control over his giant, far more powerful neighbor. Not sure what the solution is, but negotiating with a dictator, who disguises himself as a freely elected democratic leader, is a dead end. There is a reason why he has a 5,000 man personal security detail. Nobody knows the extend of his riches, and when it the last time you have read something questioning this, in the Thai press? There is a reason why Thailand is ranked 152, out of 178, in terms of press freedom, by reporters without borders, a very credible ogranization. So, what we are reading in the press is nothing. They are not covering the real issues. They do not want to discuss the real issues at stake here.

Are you talking to hear yourself.

You know as well as I do that the lack of freedom of speech is mostly for matters regarding one family.

They are covering the issues that will sell papers. The same as any news paper in the world. Perhaps you are confusing a reluctance to get into a situation where they can be sued for Libel with lack of freedom of speech.

Stop and think about it if they were restricted in what they can print other than on every thing the nation would not need strict laws against libelous comments or accusation's.

Are you honestly saying you do not thing censorship is in place here in Thailand? Is that what I hear? Why the ranking of 152nd? When is the last time you have seen an investigative piece on Thai politics, on the ineffectiveness of the anti corruption commission, or anything else that mattered? It takes me 4 minutes to read the Bangkok Post. Because there is little of substance in there. The only news you read that is of a critical nature, is news of the outside world. Real criticism of Thai institutions is not allowed. And I am not referring to the Monarchy.

[Payboy]

Hope he got his turkey stuffed in that cage?

[Arkady]

I suspect their "bird cages" were also a lot better than the animal cages that ordinary Thai prisoners in the same Cambodian jail are living in. In Thai remand prisons all the prisoners awaiting their final sentences are kept in heavy and rusty leg irons permanently which is a barbaric, medieval practice. These prats didn't even wear leg irons to go to court and the Thai Embassy working full time for them.

Edited January 25, 2011 by Arkady

[baboon]

If UK jails are so cushy, why have the [handful] of people I have met who have been inside told me they are vile, terrifying places they never wish to return to?

[Xangsamhua]

With a few exceptions this report has brought out the bitter and ignorant. Some of the responses have to be seen to be believed. They not only sneer at the returnees, but at Thai people generally. Why the need?

The man is not an "official". He's a journalist.

He wasn't comparing jails. He was just describing the one he was in.

He believed he was doing the right thing and was reflecting on the common theme of why bad things happen to good people.

He is a sincere and practicing Buddhist. As a Santi Asoke follower he has become vegetarian and eats only once a day. He follows Buddhist ethics.

The returnees did not speak badly of their treatment by their gaolers. They said they were treated well, and very well in comparison with others in the gaol, but conditions for them were still tough. The politician became ill from cockroach bites and had to have his head shaved because he was afraid of lice.

They did not believe they were on Cambodian soil.

It's fine to disagree with the man, but why do some people have to be so spiteful about it?

[luvU2much500THB]

thai jails are soo much better

You beat me to it. I guess he has never had the pleasure of Thai jail cells.

Along with Viktor's input, we can draw the following conclusions:

Cambodian jail = Bird cage

Thai jail = Zoo

American jail = Mental hospital

http://www.thaivisa....ental-hospital/

German jail = 3 star Hotel