Visiting Bangkwang?

[aussiestyle1983]

I have seen various websites mentioning that it is possible to visit Bangkwang Prison and have a short talk to a prisoner, I also read that prisoners apprieciate this. Just wondering if anyone here has done this before and would care to share what it was like.

I am just looking for something interesting to do one day and thought this could be a good idea. I read that quite afew tourist do this but i wasnt sure if anyone on TV has ever done this.

So for anyone who has done this....................

What was it like? What made you pick the prisoner that you chose to visit? How did you feel when you first met/ talked to the prisoner?

[roamer]

You might get some answers if you post on Lonely Planet Thorntree, seems to be a backpacker thing.

[Neeranam]

I went once and decided to have a few beers first at the 'chang bar' near the prison. Bad idea - they nearly kept me in!

[Halfaboy]

What was it like? What made you pick the prisoner that you chose to visit? How did you feel when you first met/ talked to the prisoner?

I have the same plan already for a long time. I'm interested in procedures. Do you need a supporting document from an embassy, do you need to complete forms aforehand and where to obtain them, is there something like a list of 'clients' to visit, what can be brought in (and what to avoid bringing in), do the guards need to be bribed....

Any experiences or advise ?

[keenok]

have visited a friend before a few times in klong prem.i presume the procedure is the same. arrive early fill in a request form with his details and your own passport info,then wait.the officers at klong prem were always helpful towards me ,unlike IDC,once he was transferred there waiting to be deportrd ,my visiting was much less pleasurable.check out this website for some infohttp://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/prisoners-thailand.html.although some of it may be outdated it will give you an idea.

[Tywais]

A couple of links regarding prison visits:

http://www.bangkwang.net/visit/index.htm

http://www.khaosanroad.com/bangedup.htm

and a variation of keenok's link http://www.phaseloop.com/foreignprisoners/l-bangkwang.html

One statement that should be considered (from Khao San website).

"If you are not really up to this, don't go… time wasters won't help anyone. Be sensitive to the prisoners' situation - if you say you will do something for them, such as send an email for them or something, then please do it - imagine their frustration if you don't"

[rennie45]

Funny you should mention it, I just downloaded a documentary from UK Nova about life in the prison and they did say that it was possible to visit inmates.

It's called BBC this World - Inside the real Bangkok Hilton and here is the link to the program: http://www.uknova.com/details.php?id=36904

[deminister]

What was it like? What made you pick the prisoner that you chose to visit? How did you feel when you first met/ talked to the prisoner?

I have the same plan already for a long time. I'm interested in procedures. Do you need a supporting document from an embassy, do you need to complete forms aforehand and where to obtain them, is there something like a list of 'clients' to visit, what can be brought in (and what to avoid bringing in), do the guards need to be bribed....

Any experiences or advise ?

It would be soooooo nice when you leave the stupid bribe thingss out. Bribes only exist because people PAY them. You can simply go to the prison inquire if there are countrymen or others in and request a meeting with the, Normally you have 15 minutes. In certain prisons there ae special visitation hours for foreign prisoners (Chiangmai for instance). people do aappreciate it, but bring some food for them, and remember they share it with lots of people.

[aussiestyle1983]

Thanks for the replys. I didnt think to many people from TV had done this. I have been thinking about it for some time but I dont really know how I would feel comming face to face with a prisoner that I dont really know. I guess it would be an interesting and learning experience, and I guess the prisoner would apprieciate it. Like said in a post from another poster, it is deffinently not a good idea to say you will do something for a prisoner and then not follow through, I bet these guys look forward to recieving letters or e-mails if they are promised as the wouldnt have much else to look forward to.

[qualtrough]

In 92 or 93 I visited a prisoner in Bang Kwang. At that time I was here doing field research for a doctorate. My school in the US had been contacted by this guy about studying by correspondance, and my advisor asked me if I would mind visiting with him to find out more. I went up to Nonthaburi and on the way met up somehow with two American girls and we all three went to the prison. At that time there was a desk across the street. I just gave them the name and said we wanted to meet with the prisoner, nothing more than that. You could also buy some gift items that would be delived to the prisoner so I think I bought him some soap, etc. We met the guy and turns out he was busted for smuggling heroin and was in for something like 40 years. He wasn't a Corby, he copped to the crime. He had been smuggling dope in the US and one of his friends had the bright idea of trying that with heroin here. Bright idea--they were busted pretty quickly. He seemed to have adjusted well and said it wasn't so bad if you had some money and stayed away from drugs. He was learning Thai, reading books, etc. Now here is the funny part. Things went well, guy seemed to be pretty nice as far as drug smugglers go, and then it turned out that he had gone to the same school as one of the girls. Eventually he let us know that he had been expelled for breaking a guy's neck in a fight. The thing is, it seemed like he wasn't almost proud of it. Went from a neat meeting to an, OK, we have to go now kind of thing...

I do go on. Anyway, at that time it was pretty easy to do. Might be tougher now?

[griffer]

I have visited inmates at Bangkwang. From what I remember, you will need the name of someone to visit. Your Embassy will supply a name.

Let's get this clear..its not going to be some cosy chat over a couple of cokes. You go to the prison and sign in. Then go to a holding area. Anything you hope to take in is thoroughly checked..opened, pulled apart. There is a shop on the inside and it is far easier to buy food/ cigarettes etc inside.

There is a communual meeting area. You sit on the outside on benches. The prisoner you have requested to see is allowed into their side of the area, along with all the other prisoners being visited. Often they are in ankle shakles that they hold up with pieces of rag. There can be 50 prisoners being visited at the same time. You are separated by two sets of bars about 6 feet apart covered with chicken wire. You are about 10 feet from the prisoner. You will have to shout to be heard if it is busy. Obviously you will not recognise him, nor him you...you have to sort this out.

I visited a guy from my home town..so we could talk about home, football clubs, night clubs...all that stuff. I didn't feel it was appropriate to ask him about life inside, unless he brought it up, which he didn't. Asking how long his sentance is, and looking shocked when he says 50 years, doesn't seem to be the way to go.

Naturally, institutional life has a marked effect on many prisoners. It seems there is little mental health care inside the prison, and this can be very evident.

Overall I think it is worthwhile. Generally when it is over and you walk out, I would think most people would vow never to break the law in The Land of Smiles.

[aussiestyle1983]

Thanks for that post, it is interesting to know how the process works. I guess it will not be easy having a shouting match against dozens of other people through a fence to a stranger......................

[jase555]

If you do go remember to be really respectful of their situation. Bankwang is a popular backpacker tourist destination, to the inmates it must feel like being an animal in a zoo with tourists coming to look at you. I've worked in UK prisons they're not nice places, Thai will be horrendous. I've heard stories of people in their for drug offences and the visitors then telling them about all their drug taking antics etc. Just really think carefully before you go.

[Jonson83]

If you do go remember to be really respectful of their situation. Bankwang is a popular backpacker tourist destination, to the inmates it must feel like being an animal in a zoo with tourists coming to look at you. I've worked in UK prisons they're not nice places, Thai will be horrendous. I've heard stories of people in their for drug offences and the visitors then telling them about all their drug taking antics etc. Just really think carefully before you go.

I bet they must feel like animals in a zoo!

I wonder what motivates people to go and see these prisoners? Its kinda like when people slow down by car crashes just incase theres a severed hand on the road or something

[Catpian Slackbladder]

A friend of mine recently did a tour.... he was staying in the Marriot hotel and the doorman is a former guard. 500 baht got a complete tour of the prison, chats with in mates and a top notch dinner with the guards.

I can't remember the concierges name now, but I do know he works at the Marriot day time. My mate was impressed (obviously in a slightly disturbed way!), not my cup of tea dear boy!