Klong Prem Central Prison

Klong Prem Central Prison
Location Bangkok, Thailand
Coordinates 13°50′50″N 100°33′14″E / 13.84722°N 100.55389°ECoordinates: 13°50′50″N 100°33′14″E / 13.84722°N 100.55389°E
Status Operational
Security class Maximum security
Opened 1944

Klong Prem Central prison (Thai: คลองเปรม) is a high-security prison in Bangkok, Thailand. The prison has several separate sections. The greater complex houses up to 20,000 inmates. Within the complex perimeter are the Women's Central Prison, often referred to as "Lard Yao" or "Lard Yao women's prison". There is the Central Correction Institution for Drug Addicts (also known as "Bambat Phiset"), Bangkok Special Prison and the Central Correctional Hospital. The Lard Yao men's section takes custody of male offenders whose sentence term is not over 25 years. As of 2002 the men's section holds 1,158 foreigners out of a total of 7,218 prisoners from 56 countries.[1]

History

Klong Prem Central prison was originally a temporary prison established in 1944 in the Lard Yao district as a consequence of demands during World War II when Thailand was at war with Britain and the United States.[2] In 1959 it was used as a vocational training centre for those who, in the words of the Thai corrections department, “act and behave as gangsters".[3]

In 1960 the old Klong Prem prison on Maha Chai Road (now the Bangkok Corrections Museum) had become especially overcrowded so all prisoners were transferred to the vocational training centre site.[2] The Interior Ministry established a temporary prison within the new compound by dividing one part into a vocational training centre and the other part into the Lard Yao temporary central prison. In 1972 the Interior Ministry issued orders establishing the prison on Maha Chai Road as the "Bangkok Remand Prison" and the prison in the Lard Yao subdistrict was designated the "Klong Prem Central Prison".[2]

Visiting Klong Prem

Klong Prem Central Prison allows the family of inmates to visit prisoners. Visiting rules and times vary and international visitors have some special privileges. Different days are allocated to certain cell blocks. Weekend visits are typically prohibited. Additional privileges (e.g., phones, longer visits) when visiting foreign prisoners can sometimes be attained with a letter from the appropriate embassy or with bribes to prison guards. Food for prisoners can be purchased at the commissary. Fill out a form listing the items you would like to purchase and the prisoner's name. After paying for the items, they are generally delivered that evening or the next day.

As of June 2010, foreign prisoners held at the Bangkok Remand Prison at Klong Prem may be visited Monday through Friday, from 8:30am – 3:30pm. There is a small store in which common items can be bought such as bread, fruits, crackers, soft drinks, water, toilet paper and clothing. In addition, there is a small restaurant outside the main visiting area where other foods can be bought for the prisoners. All of this is sealed by prison store staff in a plastic bag, and then the visitor passes it through the window after a visit. The prisoner receives it in his or her hands within minutes. There is also a service for limited fast food delivery for prisoners, such as KFC or pizza.

Prison World Cup

With the large amount of foreign nationals at Klong Prem, the prison is able to hold a football World Cup.[1] Teams of 10 are chosen by prison staff to represent Nigeria, Japan, the U.S., Italy, France, England, Germany and Thailand.[1] Games comprise two 20-minute halves on an approximately half-sized pitch. The winners are given a replica of the real World Cup trophy, which is made of wood in the prison workshop.[1]

Current and former notable prisoners

Foreign prisoners are concentrated in building 2, and those prisoners may have contact visits for several days providing visitors can demonstrate they have traveled from another country. As of June 2010, there are many foreign prisoners in other buildings of the prison complex.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jason Gagliardi (17 June 2002). "Gaaoooool!". TIME. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Klong Prem Central Prison". Foreign Prisoners Support Site. 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Klong Prem Central Prison". correct.go.th. 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  4. ↑ David McMillan. Escape: The True Story of the Only Westerner Ever to Break Out of the Bangkok Hilton (3 July 2008 ed.). Mainstream Publishing. p. 320. ISBN 1-84596-345-8.
  5. ↑ David Sapsted (19 June 2001). "I was so stupid, says heroin smuggler pardoned by king". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  6. ↑ AAP (17 December 2008). "Aussie charged over drugs in Thailand". The Age. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  7. ↑ AAP (19 December 2008). "Andrew Hoods admits Thai smuggling attempt a 'big mistake'". The Australian. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  8. ↑ AAP (20 December 2008). "Heroin accused 'did it for the money'". The Australian. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  9. ↑ Justin Vallejo (20 December 2008). "The tragedy of Andrew Hoods - and his little girl". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  10. ↑ Ron Corben (5 August 2009). "Aussie Andrew Hood sentenced for attempted smuggling". news.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2009.

External links