HILLTRIBES in Klong Prem

Hilltribe Prisoners in Klong Prem Central Prison
submitted by Paul Hunt - 28 May 2004 ; e-mail [valleyscript@yahoo.com]

According to prison officials there were about 6,800 prisoners held in Klong Prem Central Prison, as of 26th March 2004. This included approximately 800 foreigners, of whom about 300 were from Myanmar. Officials could not provide any information concerning hilltribe prisoners.

It has been extremely difficult to contact hilltribe prisoners in Klong Prem Central Prison. Prisoners cannot easily communicate with others in different blocks, and visiting hours are very restrictive. However, we have located 16 Akha, 4 Lisaw, 3 Hmong and one Yao man. Their names and details, if known, are given below.

Last year the governor of Klong Prem Central Prison, Reung Muengmunechai, was removed from his post to be investigated for graft. He was replaced by Prayad Jingjitt from Nakhon Ratchasima.

This prison, and others in Thailand, exploits prisoners for cheap labour. I have been told quite often, from several sources, that prisoners who do not work must pay for the privilege!

In March 2004 there was a large market of tents on the grounds in front of the Klong Prem prison complex. Large quantities of products made by prisoners held in many Thai prisons were displayed for sale, including furniture, wooden chalet houses, embroidery, clothes and souvenirs.

Yet when anyone contacts prisoners in Thai prisons who make these products they invariably say that they are paid little or nothing for the work they do. They do not even have sufficient to pay for simple things like soap, which must be paid for at inflated prison prices. Relatives and visitors are also more or less restricted to buying things for prisoners from the prison shops, whose prices are not the cheapest. For the prisoners inside the prison prices can be far higher. It is after all a captive market! A perfect set-up for rampant capitalist exploitation!

If you wish to contact prisoners at Klong Prem Central Prison you can write to the address below with the prisoner name and block number at the top. 

Visiting hours are from 0800 to 1455 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 
These are the prisoner block numbers which can be visited on each of these days:
  Monday    : 1, 5, 9, 14.
  Wednesday : 2, 3, 7, 13, hospital.
  Friday    : 4, 6.

Enquiries concerning foreign prisoners at Klong Prem Central Prison can be made to 
Ms. Thitiporn (Tel: 02-5883283).

The prison is in the same complex as the prison for women, 
Bombat prison for drugs offenders and a remand prison for other cases.
It is only a five-minute walk from Bangkhen railway station.
Many buses operating in Bangkok stop right outside the Klong Prem prison complex. 
Bus numbers 63 and 114 go to Nonthaburi where Bangkwang Central Prison is located.

ADDRESS FORMAT:
    PRISONER'S NAME
    BUILDING NUMBER
    Klong Prem Central Prison,
    33 / 2 Ngam Wong Wan Road,
    Lard Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 , THAILAND
 


Akha men in Klong Prem Central Prison (at least 16)
   Block 2 (at least 3 Akha men)
     1. Ahlo Ahneegu
     2. Ah Mee Yayangmu (Langmu ?)
     3. Ah Ya Permeagu
   Block 3 (at least 4 Akha men)
     1. Ahtu Mopoku
     2. Ahtit Mayer
     3. Ahnee Mayer
     4. Arsou Chermue
   Block 4 (at least 4 Akha men)
     1. Suvit Porn-ittikig (Ah Tu), yaba, arrested in Bangkok, 25 yrs, served 6 yrs,
       Pha Ee - Chiangrai. He understands a little English.
     2. Banjob
     3. Ahsam Nayoo
     4. Sam Ahsung, 36, 33 yrs, Myanmar. Transfered from Bangkwang 3 in 2003
   Block 5 (at least 3 Akha men)
     1. Arpeo Chermue
     2. Ahtu Lerser
     3. Ahtu Leser
   Block 6 (at least 1 Akha man)
     1. Sah Yang Larcher

   Klong Prem Hospital (at least 1 Akha man)
     1. Ahcha Luimer (Woymeh ?) works as cleaner.
 


Hmong men in Klong Prem Central Prison (at least 3)
   Block 4
     1. Suwarn Saelee
     2. Sam Saeyang
     3. Supot Saemar
 
  
 Lisaw men in Klong Prem Central Prison (at least 4)
   Block 4 (at least 3)
     1. Arbepa Saeyang
     2. Somchai Therja
     3. Choo Sinmee
   Block 5 (at least 1)
     1. Arpeh Laoyeepa
    


Yao men in Klong Prem Central Prison (at least 1)
   Block 4
     1. Tawn Luang Sae Tein, drugs, 25 yrs, Klong Lan - Kamphaeng Phet.
     His wife, Khet Fei Sae Tein, 32, is held in the women´s prison on the same case,
     although she claims to be innocent. She received a life sentence on 26 November 2002,
     which is more than her husband´s 25 years because she does not admit guilt 
     whereas her husband does!

Such is the process of law in Thailand, and elsewhere, that if one pleads guilty one receives a reduced sentence. Not a few innocent hilltribe people, and others, in Thailand find themselves confronted with this choice of pleading guilty so as to receive a reduced sentence. When the sentence may be death reduced to life if pleading guilty the pressure exerted by this system, or process of law, to plead guilty although one is innocent works against a poor, oppressed people who do not have the resources to defend themselves.

Some who truthfully plead their innocence receive the death sentence. They may have been entrapped by corrupt police or officials against whom they cannot defend themselves. It requires much courage to stand up for truth and justice in these circumstances.

For such reasons we are entirely opposed to the use of the death sentence. And especially so when it is known that corruption is rife amongst the judiciary, police and officialdom. --back to the list of prisoners