Thai prison troublemakers face 'supermax' unit

[Chris Lawrence]

One guy I knew had this theroy, spend more than 2 years in goal and you will bat for the other side. Another guy said even with 'GF' they still reach around and do the business with the 'GF' while playing BF/GF. Just some anacdotal hear say or food for thought for those inclined.

If you do the crime then you need to do the time. No sympathy.

People still need to be rehabilatated in goal. Locking people up and doing nothing only sends people to school within goal; they will learn from each other. The cycle needs to be broken. Yeah there are going to be habitual criminals, but there are some that may be turned around and be a benifit to society. In Oz one guy I met did his time but also did a carpentry apprenticeship, this guy turned his life around and is very wealthy running a building company.

Some people will never change, but somewhere along the way the penny may drop.

I have dealt with many people from the prison system. Its remarkable what time does and the right people in the right place makes.

I have also seen people that don't want to change. They need to move thru the system very quickly ending up in the right place for them.

But this is a showboat article

[bigbamboo]

They should put them on some god forsaken place inhabited by sharks somewhere like Alcatraz or Devil's Island.

What about Koh Samui?

[Emster23]

A lock is only as secure as the person who holds the key. How about super judges? Beyond corruption (haha). Put son of red bull etal in and see how they like it.

[Ulysses G.]

of

"'Supermax' unit head Chanwit Karanan said inmates often shouted to ease their stress and some even banged their heads against the wall."


Sounds like they are just locked in their cells with no human contact for all but 1 hour a week. Won't that bring about psychological problems or more likely exacerbate existing conditions. I believe prison should be a punishment, however it should also attempt rehabilitation. This place appears to be failing to do the latter.

If these are the worst of the worst violent criminals, it is hard to feel much sympathy, but with these conditions and the fact that Thailand is broiling hot much of the year, being locked in a small room, all the time, might be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

[coma]

The supermax zone at Khao Bin Prison can hold 500 inmates.

Quite minuscule. They will have 5000 inmates in there in the not too distant future.

[coma]

They should put them on some god forsaken place inhabited by sharks somewhere like Alcatraz or Devil's Island.

What about Koh Samui?

Actually Koh Tao was used as a prison 80 odd years ago. Mainly used to house political opponents of the pro-democracy movement. They were sent there for "re-education". They pretty much were allowed to roam around the island. What a great place to do time hey ?

[NoshowJones]

they can build a lot more

one specially for corrupt BIB

one for politicians

one for POT smokers (they will not cause much problem if they get some fumes once and a while)

One for politicians??????? If every corrupt politician is jailed, there wouldn't be any left on the outside.

[Bluespunk]

they can build a lot more

one specially for corrupt BIB

one for politicians

one for POT smokers (they will not cause much problem if they get some fumes once and a while)

One for politicians??????? If every corrupt politician is jailed, there wouldn't be any left on the outside.

Good.

[oldsailor35]

I suppose that any Hi-so offenders such as Moo Ham or the Chewit gunman will be exempt from this jail.

[oldsailor35]

I'd like to know where inmates get 3 mil baht to buy a cell phone. For 95% of the population thats 30 years pay. The 5% of the population with that kind of money to spend never see the inside of a prison.

You need to ask around some of the taxi owners etc on Phuket.

[lostsoul49]

"'Supermax' unit head Chanwit Karanan said inmates often shouted to ease their stress and some even banged their heads against the wall."

Sounds like they are just locked in their cells with no human contact for all but 1 hour a week. Won't that bring about psychological problems or more likely exacerbate existing conditions. I believe prison should be a punishment, however it should also attempt rehabilitation. This place appears to be failing to do the latter.

These are the ones who have had a chance in regular prison population and have displayed no signs of rehabilitation whatsoever, this is the next level.

I have no problem with it... in fact, I suggest they use this place for all corrupt police, politicians and civil servants. Give them their first 3 months of sentence here before moving them to a regular prison.

Also, It has been proven on many occasions you CAN NOT rehabilitate with a soft penal approach, most offenders will re-offend. The wife's cousin came out after 6 months and went straight back to his no good ways,and when asked if he was not frightened to go back to jail he just laughed and said "why? I have many friends there.... It is not really a bad place."

[oldsailor35]

They should put them on some god forsaken place inhabited by sharks somewhere like Alcatraz or Devil's Island.

What about Koh Samui?

No Thanks, we already have Suthep to put up with. No more criminals here please!

[oldsailor35]

A lock is only as secure as the person who holds the key. How about super judges? Beyond corruption (haha). Put son of red bull etal in and see how they like it.

The General really should find a panel of say 3 "super judges" to oversee the present crop of judges, many of whom are not beyond corruption. These super judges will have to be so severe that they are hated and feared by the whole judicary.

Any judge deemed to be 'out of line' will be severely dealt with. No more "Red Bull" sympathisers.

[Seastallion]

"'Supermax' unit head Chanwit Karanan said inmates often shouted to ease their stress and some even banged their heads against the wall."

Sounds like they are just locked in their cells with no human contact for all but 1 hour a week. Won't that bring about psychological problems or more likely exacerbate existing conditions. I believe prison should be a punishment, however it should also attempt rehabilitation. This place appears to be failing to do the latter.

I don't know for certain how many hours a week the prisoners are out of their cells. I can't comment on certain areas since I'm not a mental health professional who specializes in this area. As for the appearance of failing. I don't know the details, the facility, the staff, the budget or the procedures manual, so I will not label it as such.

Are you a politician? I don't know what you said.

[Seastallion]

A lock is only as secure as the person who holds the key. How about super judges? Beyond corruption (haha). Put son of red bull etal in and see how they like it.

The General really should find a panel of say 3 "super judges" to oversee the present crop of judges, many of whom are not beyond corruption. These super judges will have to be so severe that they are hated and feared by the whole judicary.

Any judge deemed to be 'out of line' will be severely dealt with. No more "Red Bull" sympathisers.

Something like that. Pay them handsomely, expect results.

[SinCityGr8One]

I wonder if any Officials from Thailand went to view the construction of The United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility(ADX) to get some ideas for Thailand's supermax?. It is an American Federal supermax prison for male inmates located in Fremont County, Colorado. It is also called the "Alcatraz of the Rockies". The worst of the worst criminals America has is locked up there. No rehabilitation for the worst of the worst, just hard time. Cuff em' and stuff em'!

[starky]

1000 people doesn't sound a lot for a country with so many people in the nick. There has got to more problem prisoners than that. More superficial rubbish even in supermax in "proper" first world countries with minimal corruption, inmates can still fly kites and run their business from inside, particularly if they are willing to pay 3 million baht for a phone. They have undergone " body scanning" though. F@#&$ me its the nick. You can't bring shit in with you it's all the crooked screws that provide the "facilities". Now I don't know what a screw makes in Thailand but I can say with near absolute certainty that even the ones in "supermax" can be bought. It's simple economics. A screw is a screw it doesn't matter which boob he works in especially if he only pulling down a few hundred baht a day.

[Bluespunk]

"'Supermax' unit head Chanwit Karanan said inmates often shouted to ease their stress and some even banged their heads against the wall."

Sounds like they are just locked in their cells with no human contact for all but 1 hour a week. Won't that bring about psychological problems or more likely exacerbate existing conditions. I believe prison should be a punishment, however it should also attempt rehabilitation. This place appears to be failing to do the latter.

These are the ones who have had a chance in regular prison population and have displayed no signs of rehabilitation whatsoever, this is the next level.

I have no problem with it... in fact, I suggest they use this place for all corrupt police, politicians and civil servants. Give them their first 3 months of sentence here before moving them to a regular prison.

Also, It has been proven on many occasions you CAN NOT rehabilitate with a soft penal approach, most offenders will re-offend. The wife's cousin came out after 6 months and went straight back to his no good ways,and when asked if he was not frightened to go back to jail he just laughed and said "why? I have many friends there.... It is not really a bad place."

Yes, that is problem but so is creating more psychologically damaged felons. If you want to rehabilitate them this is not the way to go. Pure punishment does not work, these damaged individuals will be more dangerous than ever when released. To themselves and all those around them.

[starky]

After outdoing the US in the un-winnable war on drugs, Thailand is now doing the same with 'super max' prisons.

You can't win a war on an ideology. You can no more win a war on "drugs" than you can win a war on "terror" it makes good headlines and keeps the war machine mobilised but the reality is, it is a faceless non-entity. All war is terrible. Waterboarding someone or holding them indefinitely in a prison camp on no charge. Is no worse than kicking a families door in, in Basra and holding a family at gunpoint. Vietnam clearly taught them nothing, maybe all those kids they napalmed were VC sympathisers eh!

[CMNightRider]

I'd like to know where inmates get 3 mil baht to buy a cell phone. For 95% of the population thats 30 years pay. The 5% of the population with that kind of money to spend never see the inside of a prison.

3 million baht really isn't much money for a Thai who has been selling drugs. If the inmate on the inside didn't have the presence of mind to conceal a bankroll inside their body cavity before entering prison, a fellow gang member or family member outside prison will take care of the money transaction for them.

Generally an inmate who will pay that much for a cell phone inside prison, isn't calling home to mom. They are doing business inside prison, with the help of their criminal friends on the outside.

I'm trying to imagine 3 million baht in "a body cavity". Hopefully all currency is in 1000 baht notes, even so - TOO BIG!

Lol, even the ladyboys wouldn't be able to hide that much cash inside their anal cavity but that is where inmates all over the world keep their valuables. In an American prison, I saw an inmate relinquish a plastic tube hidden inside his anal cavity that contained US $2350, a gold Rolex watch band, three gold mens rings, a women's silver brooch, a gold chain with a gold cross, a package of razor blades, and a sewing needle. This guy could have been on the outside doing commercials for Samsonite luggage.

[maxman71]

Sounds like the US Supermax Prison in Florence, Colorado. A former warden of this Supermax characterized it as a "clean version of hell". Actually, there are several Supermax prisons in the US, but the Florence, CO facility houses the most notorious offenders such as Theodore Kaczynski (aka the "Unabomber"), Terry Nichols of the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing fame, terrorists who bombed the Twin Towers in NYC in 1993 and other like convicts.

Then California has the Pelican Bay state prison way up in the northern part of the state. This place has a Special Housing Unit that is basically cages where guards are known to walk on top and spit, urinate and otherwise harass the inmates. Granted, those cons sent there are the worst of the worst of the CA state prison system, I'm not sure this and the Supermax system is accomplishing anything worthwhile.

[CMNightRider]

Sounds like the US Supermax Prison in Florence, Colorado. A former warden of this Supermax characterized it as a "clean version of hell". Actually, there are several Supermax prisons in the US, but the Florence, CO facility houses the most notorious offenders such as Theodore Kaczynski (aka the "Unabomber"), Terry Nichols of the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing fame, terrorists who bombed the Twin Towers in NYC in 1993 and other like convicts.

Then California has the Pelican Bay state prison way up in the northern part of the state. This place has a Special Housing Unit that is basically cages where guards are known to walk on top and spit, urinate and otherwise harass the inmates. Granted, those cons sent there are the worst of the worst of the CA state prison system, I'm not sure this and the Supermax system is accomplishing anything worthwhile.

The Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison, are concrete cells, not cages. At no time has an inmate in that prison been spit on, or urinated on by correctional staff. Where on earth did you get that from? OMG, lol.

Thailand is smart constructing Supermax prisons. These prisons are much safer for inmates and correctional staff than the older style prisons.

[sgtsabai]

Prison is often brutal. Thai prisons are not exactly known as a vacation spot. SuperMax prison is a very slippery slope. They are used to house the supposedly bad guys that are a real threat to society. But, and there are lots of if's and buts they are also used for political prisoners, as they are then....... ? Make your own conclusion. Remember the US has the highest prison population in the world and most are poor, "minorities". People are often wrongly convicted and the government not only knows it they are complict in it. Most prisons in the US are run by private corporations and they benefit by more and more people being in prison, and staying. It sounds to me as they are torture houses. Not punishment for wrong doing, if wrong was done, but torture. Solitary, small cells, no exercise, maltreatment by guards, no outside contact, often family and even attorneys cannot contact or even know for sure where the prisoner is, no sunlight, often prisoners are moved so often they are for all practical purposes dissappeared. I'd really, really like some of the bad boys on the keyboards here that think the torture of being in prison is deserving of all those inside could spend a little time, say just 30 days, in one. In fact, I'd like to see your mental state when you came out of your little solitary jail cell.

[Bigfarang1948]

Tough punishment indeed. It almost gives me a panic attack at the very thought of such isolation for who knows how long. I am quite sure this isolatiion will cause enough psychological problems to make rehabilitation almost impossible, and I doubt the quality of any mental health care they will receive while locked up. It is a dramatic step in keeping trouble makers away from the otherewise peaaceful inmates. I hope it works.

Bluespunk post # 4

"'Supermax' unit head Chanwit Karanan said inmates often shouted to ease their stress and some even banged their heads against the wall."


Sounds like they are just locked in their cells with no human contact for all but 1 hour a week. Won't that bring about psychological problems or more likely exacerbate existing conditions. I believe prison should be a punishment, however it should also attempt rehabilitation. This place appears to be failing to do the latter.

Sadly there are those people who are nothing more than a danger to society unable or unwilling to conform to the norms of decent social behavior patterns and conduct albeit it bit wild at times and as such we in society at large need to be and indeed society must be protected from those individuals.

Dangerous animals are controlled in many societies and remember we Homeo Sapiens are supposed to be the highest form of life on the planet.

Hence we protect ourselves from assorted threats environmental and society wise.

Agreed prison is not the best solution to many of the inmates problems, however society has its rules, we make or have made those rules thus we need to ensure such rules are observed and society can function at a safe level.

Yes, I agree. However not all the guys locked up in this place appear to life term prisoners and will eventually be released. Society would be best served if they were offered some sort of treatment to solve any psychological issues they have. In this gaol it would appear these problems are being created or, as I said, more likely made worse. These already predatory people will be a greater danger than ever if released back into society. Surely it would be worth the try to help them, even at a minimal level.

[CMNightRider]

Prison is often brutal. Thai prisons are not exactly known as a vacation spot. SuperMax prison is a very slippery slope. They are used to house the supposedly bad guys that are a real threat to society. But, and there are lots of if's and buts they are also used for political prisoners, as they are then....... ? Make your own conclusion. Remember the US has the highest prison population in the world and most are poor, "minorities". People are often wrongly convicted and the government not only knows it they are complict in it. Most prisons in the US are run by private corporations and they benefit by more and more people being in prison, and staying. It sounds to me as they are torture houses. Not punishment for wrong doing, if wrong was done, but torture. Solitary, small cells, no exercise, maltreatment by guards, no outside contact, often family and even attorneys cannot contact or even know for sure where the prisoner is, no sunlight, often prisoners are moved so often they are for all practical purposes dissappeared. I'd really, really like some of the bad boys on the keyboards here that think the torture of being in prison is deserving of all those inside could spend a little time, say just 30 days, in one. In fact, I'd like to see your mental state when you came out of your little solitary jail cell.

Where do you think convicted criminals should be housed? SuperMax Prison is a slippery slope?? People have to really work hard to get locked up in a SuperMax prison. Inmates housed in these prisons receive better health care than you and I do, and they are not being tortured. I think you have been watching too many movies.

[sgtsabai]

No, "I read a lot". I also had a little "personal experience". Like I said, try isolation for awhile, see how you like it. There is no need for SuperMax prisons. Yes, prisons that people aren't just going to walk away from, and an ability to seperate the real wackos from the majority of prisoners, who are just there because of the color of their skin and the money, rather the lack off, in their wallet. You don't see any banksters or Wall Street Criminals in lock down do you? Prison for smoking dope or snorting a line, how stupid and how expensive. If you think being locked away in isolation and all the wonderful perks that go with is just fine with perhaps you should have a conversation with Chelsey Manning, maybe Leonard Peltier or a few others. Maybe they could help with your lack of knowledge.

[seedy]

I wonder how many of the people who posted on this topic have ever done time in any prison ?

At a guess, I would say none.

[CMNightRider]

I wonder how many of the people who posted on this topic have ever done time in any prison ?

At a guess, I would say none.

I would say none but I bet one of the posters have worked in prisons before.

[BSJ]

'"So if anything goes wrong, officials can rush in," he said.' No rushing chaps, you could fall over and hurt yourself.

[seedy]

I would say none but I bet one of the posters have worked in prisons before.

You would be wrong.