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Photography is not normally allowed in prisons in Thailand. The only way we can get to see every day life in prisons is through pictures secretly taken on mobile phones and uploaded to social media. Another source of pictures are the ones taken by the local media who are often invited when a raid is being carried out at a prison. These pictures are by online media Naewna and were taken during such a raid at Chiang Rai Central Prison.
Image may be NSFW.
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What is interesting about these pictures is that you can clearly see the amount of space allocated to each prisoner. Each space is also given a number and so you can see that in this small cell there are at least 26 inmates. I say at least as there might be be another row going the other way down the middle. At the far end of the room, there is a low wall (see picture above) with an open entrance way. Behind this wall is the squat toilet.
Image may be NSFW.
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There aren’t any beds as you can see. When prisoners first arrive they are only given a blue sheet. At some prisons they might not even be given that. There is a lot of overcrowding and resources are limited. At Chiang Rai Central Prison there are 5,177 inmates, 80% of whom are there on drug charges. If an inmate has any money, he can buy a thin matteress & other bedding. There are no pillows, but they can stuff a pillow case with clothes.
