Phuket Prison's female inmates talk about their lost lives

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EXCLUSIVE: Phuket Prison's female inmates talk about their lost lives
Phuket Gazette


'Bee', one of about 350 female inmates at Phuket Provincial Prison, is serving time for dealing drugs. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- Behind the walls of Phuket Provincial Prison are more than 2,000 inmates. About 350 of them are women; most of them doing time for drug dealing.

The Gazette takes you behind the bars of Phuket’s cramped prison for exclusive insights into the lives and circumstances of two women, ‘Wan’ and ‘Bee’, locked up for drug-related crimes in a facility built more than 100 years ago to house only 800 inmates.

Are social changes and the pressures of modern society to blame? Did these women have a choice or was drug dealing the only way out of poverty?

Wan and Bee’s days begin at 6am. They either take part in job training programs or work in the bakery, in which case they get up at 5am. The prison bakery runs every day, making food for the inmates and to sell at a stall in the visitors waiting area.

The female inmates follow a strict daily routine. After rising, they exercise for an hour, then take a shower before breakfast. All the food served at the prison is vegetarian.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/EXCLUSIVE-Phuket-Prisons-female-inmates-talk-their/63922?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-05-23

[robertthebruce]

I know life is all about choices....

Some we make are good some we make are bad.....

We have all made mistakes one way or another.

Unfortunately for these women they made a mistake getting involved with drugs, seemed like easy money, to end their hardship....

But unfortunately not....just the opposite.

Feel for them....

Sad stories...

[thaiduncankk]

They made the choice, and knew that if or when they were caught, they would be incarcerated for a big chunk of their lives.

The sad part is, as in a lot of countries, Mr Big will probably never be caught.

[piersbeckett]

At the risk of disillusioning Rob and Duncan, if what I've heard is true, there's total complicity at all levels and positions are entrenched; everyone knows the 'score'.

[Dodgydownunder]

Zero sympathy for these women. You do the crime, you do the time. They can consider themselves licky they weren't dealing drugs during Thaksin's government.

[eisfeld]

“I was a housewife looking after our two children; a 10 year old and a newborn. We were all surviving on my husband’s small wage. I wanted more money but I didn’t have a job. Selling drugs was the only thing I could think about doing that would allow me to make money and be at home with my children. Some friends introduced me to the drug world,” said Wan.

“I knew right from the start that one day I would be caught.”

Sorry but I have little sympathy for this case. Started a family with 2 kids in very early age (first kid with 18) without any ability to support this family in a proper way was mistake #1. Then without real need (they were surviving on her husbands wage and she could have done really whatever else) she starts selling drugs was mistake #2.

You could understand that some people get tempted with quick cash because they have a hard time but that she did this with full awareness that she's gonna end up in jail causing her husband and kids to have an even harder time is simply inexcusable.

As for the other case:

“Money was the only reason I got into the drug business. Just like everyone else, I had to earn a living. Without a good education and nobody to support me, my only option was to sell drugs,” said Bee.

That's nonsense. There's plenty of honest jobs even for people without education and tattoos. If you are honest and hardworking, you can find something to support yourself and use the spare funds to educate yourself. She's lieing to herself to justify her actions if she really believes what she is saying.

[Bangkokazy]

Laziness + Stupidity = long time in prison

There are many jobs out there, but nobody bothered to work for 9000 Baht per month

She should have thought of before

“I lost my future. The only future I have now is here, serving time for selling drugs. I can’t be with my children or my husband. He is out there working hard, alone, to take care of the kids.

[Jeremy50]

Zero sympathy for these women. You do the crime, you do the time. They can consider themselves licky they weren't dealing drugs during Thaksin's government.

Yep, didn't think I'd have to scroll down for long before coming across one of TV's legion of infamous hardhearted ones. 'Zero sympathy for this', Zero sympathy for that' - Ad nauseam.

[hansnl]

For those idealising the ideas there are jobs enough to find, well, there are not.

As of the idea the wages could be as "high" as 9000 baht a month, there might be.

Friend got herself a temporary job, paid 255 baht a day, but only if she worked 7 days a week, every day from 3:30 in the morning till 16:30 in the afternoon.

That is 12 hours a day.

Jobs enough, you say?

Money enough?

A shop advertised for some assistants.

270 applicants, 5 of them were hired.

Jobs enough, you say?

[eisfeld]

For those idealising the ideas there are jobs enough to find, well, there are not.

As of the idea the wages could be as "high" as 9000 baht a month, there might be.

Friend got herself a temporary job, paid 255 baht a day, but only if she worked 7 days a week, every day from 3:30 in the morning till 16:30 in the afternoon.

That is 12 hours a day.

Jobs enough, you say?

Money enough?

A shop advertised for some assistants.

270 applicants, 5 of them were hired.

Jobs enough, you say?

Well whereever I go, I can see signs advertising open positions. I know the security guard company of my estate and the one next to it are looking for some and there you really need 0 qualification to sit in a box all day and greet people. As long as the tatoos are not in the face or arms, noone will see them.

Phuket is an expensive place and if people can't afford to live here then maybe they should consider looking for a job elsewhere. Or ask one of the helpful organizations mentioned in the article, they'll help you out with a place to stay and job training.

I can 100% guarantee you that if someone is honest, gives their best and works hard then they can pull themselves out of misery, and if they need some help, well like mentioned, there are organizations to help you.

It was never easier than nowerdays actually. You can get a 1000 THB second hand android phone and use the free wifi that is present in many areas to watch videos and read online to educate yourself.

I'm not saying it's going to be easy, far from it. It's tough. But you gotta be a tough cookie to make it in this world we live in.

[falang khinok]

Easy to speak and justice others when ur belly is full and ur Bank account well stuffed...think twice most of us come from backgrounds where options are plenty and choices also...many /most/ people on this planet have a hard time to make a decent living..these girls kids at early age etc etc...I feel compassion but they got what they did ... And yes I think also here in Thailand other choices can be made good /better choices even for the less educated but sure I never walked in this shoes....

[SOTIRIOS]

...what is the point of this...condoning drug dealers...???