Thai Jail Vermin Were My Friends: Swedish Ex-Con

[webfact]

Thai jail vermin were my friends: Swedish ex-con

BANGKOK: -- A Swede incarcerated in a Thai prison after a lack of money made him turn to drug smuggling, has written a book about his experiences in Thai prison, in an isolation cell with only rats and cockroaches for company.

"The rats, a bug and the cockroaches became my family. You may laugh at it today but that is how it was," Jens Månvinge told daily Aftonbladet.

An acute lack of funds persuaded Månvinge to become a narcotics courier in the mid-90s but he was foiled in Thailand and sentenced to death, a penalty later changed to 30 years imprisonment.

“It was the consequence that I had to face, but it was hard to know how to deal with that amount of time,” said Månvinge to the paper.

Månvinge was taken to the Thai Klong-Prem prison, also known as the "Bangkok Hilton", which is built to hold 6,000 prisoners but in reality holds twice that amount.

He told the paper that he survived his first time in the jail by planning his escape, but later changed his mind and aided a fellow prisoner’s flight to freedom.

However, this support came at a severe cost as he was punished with two and a half months of isolation. This period of time he spent chained to the wall in a dirty cell, with only rats and bugs for company.

However, the fact that the cell was infested was what saved him from going mad, according to Månvinge, who befriended his small cell mates.

“They became my friends. I turned to them and felt a support, like you do from a pet. They meant the world to me," Månvinge told Aftonbladet.

He named the male rat Louisiana Joe and the female Big Mama, according to Aftonbladet. The bug was called Den Senila Skalbaggen (The Senile Bug).

“I couldn’t always see their eyes but I knew they were watching me. In that kind of situation, these things become important,“ he told the paper.

Månvinge spent six years in Thai prison before being transferred to a Swedish jail.

In 2007 he was able to re-enter society and has now written a book about his experiences in Thailand entitled Den senila skalbaggens tröst (The comfort of the the senile bug).

Source: http://www.thelocal.se/42402/20120803/

-- The Local 2012-08-04

[Huayrat]

should have served 30 years.. He got off easy

[BookMan]

At least his new 'friends' wont ask to borrow money.

[Tafia]

Stimulating, should be a best seller among the bug fraternity

[londoedan]

Just what we need - another book by a falang about his time in a Thai prison bloody bookshops are full of them.

[siampolee]

Thai jail vermin were my friends: Swedish ex-con

"The rats, a bug and the cockroaches became my family.

Brings to mind that old saying, ''Birds of a feather all flock together.''

[BookMan]

Just what we need - another book by a falang about his time in a Thai prison bloody bookshops are full of them.

Indeed, why buy the book when it so easy to experience it first hand.

I read one by some American guy from Hawaii and it was not that great.

[Bluespunk]

Yeah, you know I don't think the rats and bugs saved him from madness. Quite the opposite judging from the paragraphs that follow his assertion they did.

[Soutpeel]

"Månvinge spent six years in Thai prison before being transferred to a Swedish jail"

Based on what he is writing about his little friends surely a mental hospital would be more appropriate place to serve out the rest of his sentence and they want to consider keeping him in there..

[rixalex]

An acute lack of funds persuaded Månvinge to become a narcotics courier in the mid-90s

What a pathetic excuse. Acute lack of something... not funds.

[coma]

Not another book on some hard luck story in a Bangkok prison.

[bangkoksimon]

should have served 30 years.. He got off easy

what a heartless plonker you are, the judicial system in this country is pathetic, 5 cops torture and murder a 17 year old kid and get bailed even after being found guilty, yet a misguided farang deals a few drugs and gets 30 years and you think he got off lightly ............ you're a joke mate

Edited August 4, 2012 by bangkoksimon

[gemini81]

should have served 30 years.. He got off easy

what a heartless plonker you are, the judicial system in this country is pathetic, 5 cops torture and murder a 17 year old kid and get bailed even after being found guilty, yet a misguided farang deals a few drugs and gets 30 years and you think he got off lightly ............ you're a joke mate

No doubt condemning others comes around full circle.

[gemini81]

Not another book on some hard luck story in a Bangkok prison.

Ironically you clicked the link, read and then posted, so it struck the right chord of interest with you.

[coma]

Not another book on some hard luck story in a Bangkok prison.

Ironically you clicked the link, read and then posted, so it struck the right chord of interest with you.

No. I just wanted to know what he was refering to as vermin.

[gemini81]

Not another book on some hard luck story in a Bangkok prison.

Ironically you clicked the link, read and then posted, so it struck the right chord of interest with you.

No. I just wanted to know what he was refering to as vermin.

I thought it was a reference to people too, 555!

[Semper]

Jens Månvinge told daily Aftonbladet.

Reliable source indeed. For you UK people, you can compare it to 'The Sun'.

[nurofiend]

Stimulating, should be a best seller among the bug fraternity

haha

[Kilgore Trout]

An acute lack of funds persuaded Månvinge to become a narcotics courier in the mid-90s

What a pathetic excuse. Acute lack of something... not funds.

Hey, the guy did the crime and he did the time. Give him a break.

Wait till its one of your children in a situation like this, then see how your view changes. All these hang em high posts are just asking for fate to teach them a lesson, guess you guys have learned nothing about Thailand. Thais are Buddhist people who believe in Karma....you are sealing yours....

[Holysteel]

It is always the courier, the runners, the transporter that get caught ! Where the hell is the top of the chain ! The manufacturer ! The Mastermind !! The Funders !!

[rubl]

A Swede incarcerated in a Thai prison after a lack of money made him turn to drug smuggling,

Next time I need money may I use the lack of funds as an excuse to do something which just might be deemed somewhat illegal and punishable by law by those who obviously are prejudiced and for sure didn't like that at the time of apprehension I was wearing a red shirt ?

[alfalfa19]

should have served 30 years.. He got off easy

what a heartless plonker you are, the judicial system in this country is pathetic, 5 cops torture and murder a 17 year old kid and get bailed even after being found guilty, yet a misguided farang deals a few drugs and gets 30 years and you think he got off lightly ............ you're a joke mate

I agree. The heartlessness and lack of any compassion shown by many posts is rather disheartening. I have to conclude that some folks live in a bitter little world, perhaps exacerbated by excessive drinking, and their only sport is sniping at the less fortunate.

[ianf]

should have served 30 years.. He got off easy

what a heartless plonker you are, the judicial system in this country is pathetic, 5 cops torture and murder a 17 year old kid and get bailed even after being found guilty, yet a misguided farang deals a few drugs and gets 30 years and you think he got off lightly ............ you're a joke mate

Yes and their others. Poor people from poor countries, no education and so on banged up for 30 years after being promised by their Thai lawyers that they would get no more than 10 if they confessed and apologised. Disgusting system in a country full of greedy liars and sneaks.

[RicFlair]

Not Alice in Wonderland fan by any chance?

Sounds like he was a useless drug mule, I think he ate most of them before getting arrested!

[londoedan]

Yes and their others. Poor people from poor countries, no education and so on banged up for 30 years after being promised by their Thai lawyers that they would get no more than 10 if they confessed and apologised. Disgusting system in a country full of greedy liars and sneaks.

I think if anybody comes across as heartless - its YOU

[terryp]

Good for him I wish him all the best..far too many parasites on TV who only by the grace of God are able to make ridicules and idiotic comments on anothers mis-fortune WHATEVER MAY BE THE CAUSE

Basically many on here need to grow up ..you are not as special as you think FALANG

[rixalex]

An acute lack of funds persuaded Månvinge to become a narcotics courier in the mid-90s

What a pathetic excuse. Acute lack of something... not funds.

Hey, the guy did the crime and he did the time. Give him a break.

Wait till its one of your children in a situation like this, then see how your view changes. All these hang em high posts are just asking for fate to teach them a lesson, guess you guys have learned nothing about Thailand. Thais are Buddhist people who believe in Karma....you are sealing yours....

Hold on a sec there KG. I wasn't advocating he be hung high. I happen to think that the sort of sentences these traffickers get should be reserved for those at the top of the drug dealing chain. Guys at the bottom, like this Swedish fellow, are being exploited. But more often than not, they do so of their own free will, and have to take responsibility for their actions. And to me, blaming their mistakes on lack of money is a cop out. Millions of other people suffer similar hardship and worse, but they choose hard low paid manual labour work, they choose hard graft. These are the people in society that get my sympathies.

As for placing myself in the position of being a father to a drug dealer, if whenever a crime is committed we put ourselves in the position of how it would feel to be the parent of the accused, we would end up with a very warped justice system that cared almost as much about the perps as the victims. In judging these crimes, i don't think it does much good in the way of objectivity, to imagine ourselves as being related to either the perp or the victim, because then we are judging on emotions, not on what is right and what is just.

[happysanook]

Hold on a sec there KG. I wasn't advocating he be hung high. I happen to think that the sort of sentences these traffickers get should be reserved for those at the top of the drug dealing chain. Guys at the bottom, like this Swedish fellow, are being exploited. But more often than not, they do so of their own free will, and have to take responsibility for their actions. And to me, blaming their mistakes on lack of money is a cop out. Millions of other people suffer similar hardship and worse, but they choose hard low paid manual labour work, they choose hard graft. These are the people in society that get my sympathies.

As for placing myself in the position of being a father to a drug dealer, if whenever a crime is committed we put ourselves in the position of how it would feel to be the parent of the accused, we would end up with a very warped justice system that cared almost as much about the perps as the victims. In judging these crimes, i don't think it does much good in the way of objectivity, to imagine ourselves as being related to either the perp or the victim, because then we are judging on emotions, not on what is right and what is just.

the question is, how much of a crime is it to sell drugs when there's so many other crimes that are generally considered lighter offenses, but in reality are robbing the masses of happiness and wealth daily... for example corporate crime and big business. or ahem... the banks. but when caught out, they serve no time or get off very lightly. yet here is someone who was supplying something to someone who willingly was taking it (drug dealer -> drug users) and he gets 30 years in prison.

or let's mention alcohol, EASILY the most harmful mind-altering drug in regards to deaths, violence and health...but it's perfectly legal.

do i think i'll go out and become a drug dealer or user anytime soon? or that it's good to smoke yaa-baa? no...i'm simply saying that in the scheme of things, drug dealers are the good guys in comparison to much of the shit that goes on in this world...yet they make up the overwhelming majority of inmates... there is HUGE money in keeping drugs illegal and keeping these guys locked up...

Edited August 5, 2012 by happysanook

[candid]

Just what we need - another book by a falang about his time in a Thai prison bloody bookshops are full of them.

so don't buy it then. No one forcing you to buy it.

[rixalex]

Hold on a sec there KG. I wasn't advocating he be hung high. I happen to think that the sort of sentences these traffickers get should be reserved for those at the top of the drug dealing chain. Guys at the bottom, like this Swedish fellow, are being exploited. But more often than not, they do so of their own free will, and have to take responsibility for their actions. And to me, blaming their mistakes on lack of money is a cop out. Millions of other people suffer similar hardship and worse, but they choose hard low paid manual labour work, they choose hard graft. These are the people in society that get my sympathies.

As for placing myself in the position of being a father to a drug dealer, if whenever a crime is committed we put ourselves in the position of how it would feel to be the parent of the accused, we would end up with a very warped justice system that cared almost as much about the perps as the victims. In judging these crimes, i don't think it does much good in the way of objectivity, to imagine ourselves as being related to either the perp or the victim, because then we are judging on emotions, not on what is right and what is just.

the question is, how much of a crime is it to sell drugs when there's so many other crimes that are generally considered lighter offenses, but in reality are robbing the masses of happiness and wealth daily... for example corporate crime and big business. or ahem... the banks. but when caught out, they serve no time or get off very lightly. yet here is someone who was supplying something to someone who willingly was taking it (drug dealer -> drug users) and he gets 30 years in prison.

or let's mention alcohol, EASILY the most harmful mind-altering drug in regards to deaths, violence and health...but it's perfectly legal.

do i think i'll go out and become a drug dealer or user anytime soon? or that it's good to smoke yaa-baa? no...i'm simply saying that in the scheme of things, drug dealers are the good guys in comparison to much of the shit that goes on in this world...yet they make up the overwhelming majority of inmates... there is HUGE money in keeping drugs illegal and keeping these guys locked up...

You attributed my post to Kilgore Trout.