Prison Stories

[Star Dust]

Thank you for sharing.

This is scary stuff

What about us who decide to stay in Thailand and get old. Can someone do the 90 day reporting for us.It is easy to fall foul of immigration.

I am looking at establishing a base back at home again having previously severed all links before. This brought home to me that we are really not welcome as permanent guest in their country.

Imagine me arriving at the same airport I was deported from. The first sign said: "Welcome to Thailand", the second one read: "Unseen in Thailand". I was like: "Yeah, right".

[Star Dust]

Star Dust - have you considered writing a book about this experience?I would ask if I could be your agent, but wouldn't have a clue where to start.

Not a bad idea. Lots of Bangkok Hilton books but no IDC ones that I've seen.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

I'm still in contact (exchanging letters) with a few guys in prison. Some are now already in Bang Kwang. Some are still in the Kho Samui Prison.

[cooked]

I find your story most informative, telling people to 'just go on overstay' will no longer be an option for me. I didn't understand the visa process properly until I went through it, I certainly don't want to learn more about IDC than I do now.

[Geekfreaklover]

Interesting story. Well told, too.

And yes, prison books set in Asia do have a history of selling well.

If you can knock up a reasonable manuscript of 50k words plus PM me and I can point you in the right direction to get it published.

Glad to hear you are back with your family in Isaan.

Best of luck with recording the story.

GFL.

[DMC1]

Nice reading with one load of exaggerations, just two things (purely math by the way...):

15x4 cell with 134 inmates leaves a square per inmate of 66cm side length... that’s about the width of your shoulders... and that does not include the separate room, the water tank and the toilets the OP talks about... so basically just impossible that anybody ever lays down or walk around too much, as those 134 inmates will be squeezed together like in a cramped rock concert...

And then assuming the cell is 4m high (without window, only one door that opens from time to time...), so has minimal influx of fresh air... that gives approximately 240 cubic meter of air. Air has approx 21% oxygen and a human in a (airtight) room will breath approx 1m3 of air per 4 hours until the CO2 saturation will be too high to stay conscious... so calculating that, it would take approx 8 hours (240m3 / 134 = 2m3 = 2x4h) and all inmates would be unconscious (not taking into account that the CO2 settles towards the floor and thus, the time remaining is lower).

Swiss, if you get chance go and visit a Thai prison and have a look at the size of the cells & overcrowding. You will be shocked. I know a young Thai chap who spent a couple of years in one near Pattaya.

So he could be near his wife for visits he chose to stay in a cramped cell that he couldn't stand up straight in or lay down in. His other choice was to be moved up to Udon somewhere but who knows how cramped they are. Probably the same.

[submaniac]

Yeah while I like ops posts...I don't think it is "hardcore smog for a book". A year in immigration detention center for overstaying as a result of drunk driving... Vs something sexy like hard time in Bangkok prison for drug smuggling. The immigration detention center not quite as bad ass.

[Star Dust]

Nice reading with one load of exaggerations, just two things (purely math by the way...):

15x4 cell with 134 inmates leaves a square per inmate of 66cm side length... that’s about the width of your shoulders... and that does not include the separate room, the water tank and the toilets the OP talks about... so basically just impossible that anybody ever lays down or walk around too much, as those 134 inmates will be squeezed together like in a cramped rock concert...

And then assuming the cell is 4m high (without window, only one door that opens from time to time...), so has minimal influx of fresh air... that gives approximately 240 cubic meter of air. Air has approx 21% oxygen and a human in a (airtight) room will breath approx 1m3 of air per 4 hours until the CO2 saturation will be too high to stay conscious... so calculating that, it would take approx 8 hours (240m3 / 134 = 2m3 = 2x4h) and all inmates would be unconscious (not taking into account that the CO2 settles towards the floor and thus, the time remaining is lower).

Swiss, if you get chance go and visit a Thai prison and have a look at the size of the cells & overcrowding. You will be shocked. I know a young Thai chap who spent a couple of years in one near Pattaya.

So he could be near his wife for visits he chose to stay in a cramped cell that he couldn't stand up straight in or lay down in. His other choice was to be moved up to Udon somewhere but who knows how cramped they are. Probably the same.

.....don't forget your measuring tape.

[loong]

Thank you for sharing.

This is scary stuff

What about us who decide to stay in Thailand and get old. Can someone do the 90 day reporting for us.It is easy to fall foul of immigration.

I am looking at establishing a base back at home again having previously severed all links before. This brought home to me that we are really not welcome as permanent guest in their country.

Not doing the 90 day report is not the same as overstaying.

Don't quote me, but I am pretty sure that the maximum penalty for not doing the 90 day report is a fine.

[OxfordWill]

Could you tell us more about the violence you mentioned in prison?

[Semper]

IDC is Hell on Earth

Somehow, I and most tourists/expats have managed to avoid this place. Fluke? I don't think so.

[WonnabeBiker]

Thanks for sharing. Greedy directors employ "teachers" on Tourist Visas and seem to wield enough influence to be

one step ahead of the Immigration Police. (Or they are in his pocket?)

Cancellation of a WP and such fun & games are sadly common.

As long as most foreigners just leave, nothing will change.

[jocko]

Thank you for sharing.

This is scary stuff

What about us who decide to stay in Thailand and get old. Can someone do the 90 day reporting for us.It is easy to fall foul of immigration.

I am looking at establishing a base back at home again having previously severed all links before. This brought home to me that we are really not welcome as permanent guest in their country.

You asked a good question there

When you get old can someone clock in at imm for you.

Thats another problem to worry about

The op story is food for thought and good luck to him for future at least he has got time on his side

And thanks for taking the time to give us all stark warning about

Amazing Thailand from the other side of the fence.

[MrRed]

Star dust thanks for putting your story on here it is a lot more interesting than the usual stuff.

I know with 60k in your bin you would of been OK in IDC and well looked after,as to the violence in IDC there is very little as most are too weak or dumbstruck to do anything else especially upstairs,strangely enough the short term(newcomers and deportees)cells down stairs where people have more food and cash can be more troublesome.Most of the it is mental and a shock to the senses.

Bang Kwang is a different ball game altogether.

[jackr]

Thank you for sharing.

This is scary stuff

What about us who decide to stay in Thailand and get old. Can someone do the 90 day reporting for us.It is easy to fall foul of immigration.

I am looking at establishing a base back at home again having previously severed all links before. This brought home to me that we are really not welcome as permanent guest in their country.

You asked a good question there

When you get old can someone clock in at imm for you.

Yes, someone else can report whether infirm or not. There is also the agency route, and lawyer firms of course.

[merijn]

Thank you for sharing.

This is scary stuff

What about us who decide to stay in Thailand and get old. Can someone do the 90 day reporting for us.It is easy to fall foul of immigration.

I am looking at establishing a base back at home again having previously severed all links before. This brought home to me that we are really not welcome as permanent guest in their country.

Not doing the 90 day report is not the same as overstaying.

Don't quote me, but I am pretty sure that the maximum penalty for not doing the 90 day report is a fine.

Correct.

[WorriedNoodle]

>What do you think would be a suitable title for it?

How about "A Guy In Denial"?

[Star Dust]

>What do you think would be a suitable title for it?

How about "A Guy In Denial"?

lol, good one...or maybe "The Ghostrider"

[loong]

>What do you think would be a suitable title for it?

How about "A Guy In Denial"?

lol, good one...or maybe "The Ghostrider"

"Overstaying your welcome"

[fauxie]

Interesting read. I just got out of 'Phiset Thonburi' in December, having served 14 months of a 16 and a half month sentence. I was supposed to be picked up by police upon release and taken to IDC for deportation based on my offense, but come release day no-one was there. My elation was indescribable. I went home and spent 6 days with my wife. After speaking with my Embassy we decided the best course of action was to turn myself in to IDC and get deported for visa overstay (expired while I was inside), allowing me to avoid being blacklisted.

I can speak Thai well, almost fluently. It helped a LOT. There were only a handful of English-speaking prisoners out of thousands in my building. While I was there an Irishman was there briefly for 2 days (stole a jackhammer while drunk) and an Englishman for about 10 days (marijuana possession). Otherwise I was the only white westerner there during my time. I hate that I put my families (my wife was sentenced too) through such stress and worry, but it was an interesting experience that I coped well with all in all and found a lot of positives in. I'm thinking about writing about my experience further, but I'm undecided about whether I'd rather just move on or not.

p.s. here's a story. A ladyboy spent a whole week at Thonburi women's prison before turning himself/herself in and being sent to the men's prison. Amazing!

[muythai2013]

"In Thailand deportation doesn’t mean that you get deported because you have broken the law, or are not welcome. Not at all… It’s because of expired Visas, or work permits, or because of no

documentation at all."

"...expired Visas, or work permits, or because of no documentation at all."

You don't consider those things breaking the law?

Can you tell us why you were in jail?

Terry

No Terry, I don't consider those things breaking the law. But the immigration police does. In IDC were tourists detained under conditions you possibly can't imagine for overstaying their Visas for just a day or two. The Deportation Process in Thailand is like that. Yeah, if you overstay and go pay for that, then that's fine, but if you get arrested on an overstay, they will send you to IDC.

In my case I did time because I caused a traffic accident under the influence where a Thai guy broke his pinky. I offered enough money to compensate, but apparently that wasn't enough, so at the end I just refused to pay. I deserved doing time, don't get me wrong. After nine times attending court I was sentenced to freedom because the court got tired of me, an by that time I've stayed already longer in prison, then my sentence would have been. I walked out the front gate of the Kho Samui Deprtment of Corrections and was greeted by the immigration police and a pair of hancuffs. My Visa ran out while I was in prison. That's why I got deported.

if you dont considere them a crime, go and do it again then.

But you will not will you, thats because the system worked, thats why your on here writing about it, because it shook you to the core.

so in a sense your complaining about a system that worked.

you say you offered enough money to compensate, you dont screw up and get to choose the price,sheesh.

still they could of just sent you home

Edited March 12, 2013 by muythai2013

[JaiLai]

Interesting read. I just got out of 'Phiset Thonburi' in December, having served 14 months of a 16 and a half month sentence. I was supposed to be picked up by police upon release and taken to IDC for deportation based on my offense, but come release day no-one was there. My elation was indescribable. I went home and spent 6 days with my wife. After speaking with my Embassy we decided the best course of action was to turn myself in to IDC and get deported for visa overstay (expired while I was inside), allowing me to avoid being blacklisted.

I can speak Thai well, almost fluently. It helped a LOT. There were only a handful of English-speaking prisoners out of thousands in my building. While I was there an Irishman was there briefly for 2 days (stole a jackhammer while drunk) and an Englishman for about 10 days (marijuana possession). Otherwise I was the only white westerner there during my time. I hate that I put my families (my wife was sentenced too) through such stress and worry, but it was an interesting experience that I coped well with all in all and found a lot of positives in. I'm thinking about writing about my experience further, but I'm undecided about whether I'd rather just move on or not.

p.s. here's a story. A ladyboy spent a whole week at Thonburi women's prison before turning himself/herself in and being sent to the men's prison. Amazing!

Looks like the wife ( Thai i pressume ) got out of jail before you, if that's the case and it was for the same offence how does that work? Women get shorter sentences?

[KarenBravo]

Sounds like a load of crap.

I was held at the IDC (Immigration detention centre) in Bangkok.

After processing, I shared a cell with about 60 others. There is a "cell leader" who is designated spokesperson for the cell and is in charge. All communications to the authorities must go through them. He gets a single room inside the main larger cell. To supplement his income, he will let you sleep in his cell for 100 Baht a day.

Everyone is supposed to clean the toilets, but, if you don't want to, you can pay 100 Baht a month to the African detainees who usually clean the toilets and showers. The toilets and showers were always spotless. You could have eaten a meal off the floor it was so clean.

There were three meals a day, Thai food, which wasn't great, but, better than expected. If you didn't want this, you could get outside Thai food brought in at 30 Baht a meal.

Many of the detainees had stayed in other prisons before coming to the Bangkok IDC and the consensus was that this was the best prison that they had been in.

I think the OP is full of BS.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Sounds like a load of crap.

I was held at the IDC (Immigration detention centre) in Bangkok.

After processing, I shared a cell with about 60 others. There is a "cell leader" who is designated spokesperson for the cell and is in charge. All communications to the authorities must go through them. He gets a single room inside the main larger cell. To supplement his income, he will let you sleep in his cell for 100 Baht a day.

Everyone is supposed to clean the toilets, but, if you don't want to, you can pay 100 Baht a month to the African detainees who usually clean the toilets and showers. The toilets and showers were always spotless. You could have eaten a meal off the floor it was so clean.

There were three meals a day, Thai food, which wasn't great, but, better than expected. If you didn't want this, you could get outside Thai food brought in at 30 Baht a meal.

Many of the detainees had stayed in other prisons before coming to the Bangkok IDC and the consensus was that this was the best prison that they had been in.

I think the OP is full of BS.

This is the internet and everything needs to be corroborated.

Never underestimate a humans need for attention.

Edited March 12, 2013 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[Star Dust]

Interesting read. I just got out of 'Phiset Thonburi' in December, having served 14 months of a 16 and a half month sentence. I was supposed to be picked up by police upon release and taken to IDC for deportation based on my offense, but come release day no-one was there. My elation was indescribable. I went home and spent 6 days with my wife. After speaking with my Embassy we decided the best course of action was to turn myself in to IDC and get deported for visa overstay (expired while I was inside), allowing me to avoid being blacklisted.

I can speak Thai well, almost fluently. It helped a LOT. There were only a handful of English-speaking prisoners out of thousands in my building. While I was there an Irishman was there briefly for 2 days (stole a jackhammer while drunk) and an Englishman for about 10 days (marijuana possession). Otherwise I was the only white westerner there during my time. I hate that I put my families (my wife was sentenced too) through such stress and worry, but it was an interesting experience that I coped well with all in all and found a lot of positives in. I'm thinking about writing about my experience further, but I'm undecided about whether I'd rather just move on or not.

p.s. here's a story. A ladyboy spent a whole week at Thonburi women's prison before turning himself/herself in and being sent to the men's prison. Amazing!

Nice one, mate. Glad you pulled through. While I was in Kho Samui Prison another English fellow inmate received a letter from a friend who was as well released from a Prison in Bangkok. I can't remember the name of the Prison, but I remember that the letter said that he was as well released and had waited for the Immigration to pick him up. He then just wandered off to his gf in the Eesan. That was in Dec. 2011 Never heard of him again though. Apparently the paperwork of the Immigration get's mixed up sometimes. When I was rearrested and spent time in the Police station on Kho Samui, I had to go back to court 3 weeks later to pay for my fine for the overstay. After I had paid no one (police) came to pick me up again and bring me back in the police station. I had to phone them and asked if they have forgotten me. They apologized, and asked me to take a taxi. NO REFUND!!!!!!!!!!!! I had no choice. Doing a runner would have been worse.

We had a guy in prison who started screaming everyday that he was supposed to be released weeks ago. Day and night he rebelled. Until he was then listened to by the prison director. He was right. They forgot to release him. Amazing.

I've moved on. But it's an interesting topic. Not my case, but all the stories. The sad, funny, and amazing ones I came along while imprisoned are the ones I'd lake to share. Maybe we could team up. I'm still in contact with a couple of guys still serving their sentences. I could ask them to share their stories too.

Thanks for sharing your story with me.

[Star Dust]

Sounds like a load of crap.

I was held at the IDC (Immigration detention centre) in Bangkok.

After processing, I shared a cell with about 60 others. There is a "cell leader" who is designated spokesperson for the cell and is in charge. All communications to the authorities must go through them. He gets a single room inside the main larger cell. To supplement his income, he will let you sleep in his cell for 100 Baht a day.

Everyone is supposed to clean the toilets, but, if you don't want to, you can pay 100 Baht a month to the African detainees who usually clean the toilets and showers. The toilets and showers were always spotless. You could have eaten a meal off the floor it was so clean.

There were three meals a day, Thai food, which wasn't great, but, better than expected. If you didn't want this, you could get outside Thai food brought in at 30 Baht a meal.

Many of the detainees had stayed in other prisons before coming to the Bangkok IDC and the consensus was that this was the best prison that they had been in.

I think the OP is full of BS.

You must have booked 5 Star in IDC. What were you in for, and for how long?

Don't hide behind a wall and shout it's all BS. Enlighten us, pls.

Read this one: http://www.roadjunky.com/article/1233/immigration-jail-in-bangkok-thailand

Is that BS, too?

Edited March 12, 2013 by Star Dust

[Thailand1977]

You don't consider those things breaking the law?

How about the punishment fitting the "crime" ?

You mean starving for days at end, having no access to drinkingwater, wearing leg irons, getting put in isolation for no other reason then being suspected of escaping soon, or getting beaten for taking a shit at night for drunk driving and crashing my bike.

I don't know? You tell me.

do the crime do the time .. you broke the law ... get over it and go back home .

its not like there are any archaic laws now are there.

People like you are quite happy just to bend over and be shafted by govt.

Im sure you think it quite acceptable for the Burmese to be treat worse then animals.

[fauxie]

Interesting read. I just got out of 'Phiset Thonburi' in December, having served 14 months of a 16 and a half month sentence. I was supposed to be picked up by police upon release and taken to IDC for deportation based on my offense, but come release day no-one was there. My elation was indescribable. I went home and spent 6 days with my wife. After speaking with my Embassy we decided the best course of action was to turn myself in to IDC and get deported for visa overstay (expired while I was inside), allowing me to avoid being blacklisted.

I can speak Thai well, almost fluently. It helped a LOT. There were only a handful of English-speaking prisoners out of thousands in my building. While I was there an Irishman was there briefly for 2 days (stole a jackhammer while drunk) and an Englishman for about 10 days (marijuana possession). Otherwise I was the only white westerner there during my time. I hate that I put my families (my wife was sentenced too) through such stress and worry, but it was an interesting experience that I coped well with all in all and found a lot of positives in. I'm thinking about writing about my experience further, but I'm undecided about whether I'd rather just move on or not.

p.s. here's a story. A ladyboy spent a whole week at Thonburi women's prison before turning himself/herself in and being sent to the men's prison. Amazing!

Looks like the wife ( Thai i pressume ) got out of jail before you, if that's the case and it was for the same offence how does that work? Women get shorter sentences?

Sentenced the same, received amnesty the same (just over 2 months), but she benefited from the 'wan lot' and got out 12 days before me. Foreigners can't receive a reduction that way, nor by 'phak thawt'.

[fauxie]

Interesting read. I just got out of 'Phiset Thonburi' in December, having served 14 months of a 16 and a half month sentence. I was supposed to be picked up by police upon release and taken to IDC for deportation based on my offense, but come release day no-one was there. My elation was indescribable. I went home and spent 6 days with my wife. After speaking with my Embassy we decided the best course of action was to turn myself in to IDC and get deported for visa overstay (expired while I was inside), allowing me to avoid being blacklisted.

I can speak Thai well, almost fluently. It helped a LOT. There were only a handful of English-speaking prisoners out of thousands in my building. While I was there an Irishman was there briefly for 2 days (stole a jackhammer while drunk) and an Englishman for about 10 days (marijuana possession). Otherwise I was the only white westerner there during my time. I hate that I put my families (my wife was sentenced too) through such stress and worry, but it was an interesting experience that I coped well with all in all and found a lot of positives in. I'm thinking about writing about my experience further, but I'm undecided about whether I'd rather just move on or not.

p.s. here's a story. A ladyboy spent a whole week at Thonburi women's prison before turning himself/herself in and being sent to the men's prison. Amazing!

Nice one, mate. Glad you pulled through. While I was in Kho Samui Prison another English fellow inmate received a letter from a friend who was as well released from a Prison in Bangkok. I can't remember the name of the Prison, but I remember that the letter said that he was as well released and had waited for the Immigration to pick him up. He then just wandered off to his gf in the Eesan. That was in Dec. 2011 Never heard of him again though. Apparently the paperwork of the Immigration get's mixed up sometimes. When I was rearrested and spent time in the Police station on Kho Samui, I had to go back to court 3 weeks later to pay for my fine for the overstay. After I had paid no one (police) came to pick me up again and bring me back in the police station. I had to phone them and asked if they have forgotten me. They apologized, and asked me to take a taxi. NO REFUND!!!!!!!!!!!! I had no choice. Doing a runner would have been worse.

We had a guy in prison who started screaming everyday that he was supposed to be released weeks ago. Day and night he rebelled. Until he was then listened to by the prison director. He was right. They forgot to release him. Amazing.

I've moved on. But it's an interesting topic. Not my case, but all the stories. The sad, funny, and amazing ones I came along while imprisoned are the ones I'd lake to share. Maybe we could team up. I'm still in contact with a couple of guys still serving their sentences. I could ask them to share their stories too.

Thanks for sharing your story with me.

Hey there. It doesn't surprise me they forgot about you lol.

So what happened to you about the blacklist? I'm supposedly not blacklisted, and the Embassy tell me I'm in the clear and can apply for a visa without issue because I was deported only for overstay (and had notified them). I hope to apply for my usual 1 year multiple from Birmingham and fly out on a one-way ticket in about 4 or 5 months. I'm concerned (very, very!) I'll run into problems at immigration. I'm not sure I'll ever feel fully secure entering Thailand ever again, but that's my own fault.

Another concern to me is the informant who helped police catch us riding his motorbike past our house regularly and slowing down to look in the house, presumably checking to see if I'm back (my wife tells me). He's also been seen hanging out drinking with a guy from CSD who was in the team who came to arrest us. The informant's son calls him uncle (I know it doesn't necessarily mean they're family, but clearly rather tight). None of this fills me with confidence that I'm going to be left alone even if I'm able to come back without issue. I fear getting set up and extorted.

[Slip]

IDC is Hell on Earth

Somehow, I and most tourists/expats have managed to avoid this place. Fluke? I don't think so.

To a certain extent, yes fluke. There is no doubt that you can act in such a way as to break laws/ bring attention to yourself. Having said that, 'doing nothing wrong' does not necessarily give you a 100% guarantee against becoming a victim of corrupt officialdom who have 100% power over you. Here, or anywhere else for that matter.

[Star Dust]

Interesting read. I just got out of 'Phiset Thonburi' in December, having served 14 months of a 16 and a half month sentence. I was supposed to be picked up by police upon release and taken to IDC for deportation based on my offense, but come release day no-one was there. My elation was indescribable. I went home and spent 6 days with my wife. After speaking with my Embassy we decided the best course of action was to turn myself in to IDC and get deported for visa overstay (expired while I was inside), allowing me to avoid being blacklisted.

I can speak Thai well, almost fluently. It helped a LOT. There were only a handful of English-speaking prisoners out of thousands in my building. While I was there an Irishman was there briefly for 2 days (stole a jackhammer while drunk) and an Englishman for about 10 days (marijuana possession). Otherwise I was the only white westerner there during my time. I hate that I put my families (my wife was sentenced too) through such stress and worry, but it was an interesting experience that I coped well with all in all and found a lot of positives in. I'm thinking about writing about my experience further, but I'm undecided about whether I'd rather just move on or not.

p.s. here's a story. A ladyboy spent a whole week at Thonburi women's prison before turning himself/herself in and being sent to the men's prison. Amazing!

Nice one, mate. Glad you pulled through. While I was in Kho Samui Prison another English fellow inmate received a letter from a friend who was as well released from a Prison in Bangkok. I can't remember the name of the Prison, but I remember that the letter said that he was as well released and had waited for the Immigration to pick him up. He then just wandered off to his gf in the Eesan. That was in Dec. 2011 Never heard of him again though. Apparently the paperwork of the Immigration get's mixed up sometimes. When I was rearrested and spent time in the Police station on Kho Samui, I had to go back to court 3 weeks later to pay for my fine for the overstay. After I had paid no one (police) came to pick me up again and bring me back in the police station. I had to phone them and asked if they have forgotten me. They apologized, and asked me to take a taxi. NO REFUND!!!!!!!!!!!! I had no choice. Doing a runner would have been worse.

We had a guy in prison who started screaming everyday that he was supposed to be released weeks ago. Day and night he rebelled. Until he was then listened to by the prison director. He was right. They forgot to release him. Amazing.

I've moved on. But it's an interesting topic. Not my case, but all the stories. The sad, funny, and amazing ones I came along while imprisoned are the ones I'd lake to share. Maybe we could team up. I'm still in contact with a couple of guys still serving their sentences. I could ask them to share their stories too.

Thanks for sharing your story with me.

Hey there. It doesn't surprise me they forgot about you lol.

So what happened to you about the blacklist? I'm supposedly not blacklisted, and the Embassy tell me I'm in the clear and can apply for a visa without issue because I was deported only for overstay (and had notified them). I hope to apply for my usual 1 year multiple from Birmingham and fly out on a one-way ticket in about 4 or 5 months. I'm concerned (very, very!) I'll run into problems at immigration. I'm not sure I'll ever feel fully secure entering Thailand ever again, but that's my own fault.

Another concern to me is the informant who helped police catch us riding his motorbike past our house regularly and slowing down to look in the house, presumably checking to see if I'm back (my wife tells me). He's also been seen hanging out drinking with a guy from CSD who was in the team who came to arrest us. The informant's son calls him uncle (I know it doesn't necessarily mean they're family, but clearly rather tight). None of this fills me with confidence that I'm going to be left alone even if I'm able to come back without issue. I fear getting set up and extorted.

Well, the night when I was released at IDC I asked the officer who drove us to the airport if I was Blacklisted. He said NO. Overstayers don't get blacklisted UNLESS they had prison sentences for Drugs (including Ganja), Murder, Robbery, Rape...bla bla...all the big cases. Normally they blacklist people 10-99 years. One exception are the Weed cases were they were caught with just a Joint or less then 100 Grams of Weed. Those are blacklisted only 5 years. But that's only what I heard, and you are pretty much the first guy who has been in my situation, and ACTUALLY talks to me, so I can't back that up. It does depend on what you were in prison for and if you got probation?

I ordered (bought) a new passport (same name, same everything) for 10 years, with all new blank pages. I wouldn't have dared entering Thailand with my old passport, cause I wanted to avoid another cavity search, and blow in the bag on arrival. LOL.I new I was not blacklisted.

But to make sure you can always go to the Thai Embassy and apply for your Visa there. They will tell you. Or if you still have your IDC ID Card then your case and blacklist thing is written on it ( I wouldn't show that Card at the Thai Embassy by the way). You can see it where it says "Kadee" (I guess you know what that means). You'll find out for sure before leaving the UK. I don't know about you, but I don't trust MY Embassy at all. LOL I wonder why?

I did a Visa on arrival,I just walked up to Immigration, handed over my passport, waited for a mob of officers, but nothing happend. I was still on probation though.

As to the Snitch: Re-enter Thailand all clean with a new Visa. Smile at them when you see them, but keep a close watch on them. I recommend moving house if you can. If you have a bad feeling that they wanna set you and your Mrs. up, then leave, cause you'll lose.

I think you'll be fine.

PS.; What were you in for?Just PM me if you don't want them to know