PRISONERS SEEKING CONTACT
Steve has a lot of friends in Bangkwang, who would like to have some contact outside of that experienced in everyday life in prison. Many are foreigners in
You can also write to a prisoner by writing direct to Bangkwang prison and including the prisoners building number.
Below are some brief details of those guys who are seeking contact. Should you have any further enquiries contact this web site by sending an E-mail to steveatbangkwang@yahoo.co.uk
Hello, my name is Samai Thoya aged 42. I am serving a life sentence for drugs. I am Thai, but I am presently learning English and can read and write. I would like to become Pen friends with any English speakers in order to improve my own English and also would welcome any visits to me here in Bangkwang. I enjoy playing Takraw and other sports. I am from Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand, but I intend to travel the world when I have won my appeal that I am now waiting for.
My name is Michael Pauli, I’am 35 years old from
Hello, my name is Felix Chermnykh. I am 34 years old and from
My name is Soepaing Tinsoe. I am 36 years old and am from Myanmar
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serve 40 more years for smuggling drugs (amphetamine). I am interested
for visits and writing letters. Campaign page for Soepaign
MY name is Christian Kretz and I am a French national, though I speak fluent English too. I am serving a 50 year sentence for 134 grams of Amphetamine.
I would like to hear from anybody who has any interest in writing to me or visiting me at the prison itself.
Scott Hurford Building 6
Hi, my name is Scott Hurford, serving 30years for a drug offence. I’ve been in Jail for about 2 years now; I’m 31 years old, looking for fun loving ladies to bring some fun and happy times into this life I lead. So come on don’t be shy, I’m! Start writing! Mature ladies most welcome.
Scott
My Name is Chandra Kumar Rai, 39 years old, single and a national of
I would like very much to have some Pen pals so would be very happy to hear from anybody out there who is interested in writing to me so that we may become friends through correspondence.
I would also be very happy to meet anyone who is interested in visiting me here at the prison. I would appreciate it very much if some of you could spare a couple of hours of your
Thank you Chandra
My name is Irshad Lateff, I am 56 years old (I feel 35 Years old) I am single
I like reading, writing in Journal, Rhyming words, listening to all kind of music except classical, walking, playing table tennis
I am looking for male or Female Pen Pals to correspond with for encouragement, help and support, as I don’t have any family contact back in Pakistan for the past 4 ½ years, since my arrest in 2002
Traore Iatar is interested in anyone that would write to him.
Lim Yu Lee (Steven) Building 6
Lim Yu Lee from Singapore Chinese and single, 38 years old and a Christian since 2003. his hobby’s are Basket Ball, Language Chinese and English would appreciate a letter from anyone.
Hello my name is Danil Tikhonov. I am 25 years old D.O.B.
Drug case, Life Sentence, this year 2009 I am already 4 years in prison in
Very interested for anybody to write to me, all letters answered, I am a very handsome Guy if I say so myself, good sense of humor. All pen pals welcome of any nationality.
Letters can be addressed to:
Bang Kwang Central Prison. (Prisoners Name and Building Number)
When writing to a Prisoner always include the Building Number !!!!!!
Visiting an Inmate:
A prisoner can be an unforgettable and surprisingly moving experience. When dealing with the prison officials, never make demands, neither you nor the prisoners have any rights. Smile, be nice and you'll get further.
Visit: Building 4,5,6 Tuesday and Thursday
Getting There:
Taxi is probably most reliable in terms of time, but also the most expensive. Depending on traffic (which as you'll know can be horrendous) I would give myself 45-60 minutes (from sukhumvit road) to get there to be on the safe side (if you are early, you can always just have a look around at the prison, river etc.). Make sure you can get a taxi ok as some taxi drivers will not go there as they would not have a fare for when they were driving back.
At the prison;
When you get there, the prison entrance will be on your left and on your right will be where you go to notify the relevant people about who you want to see etc. You go to a smallish window and will be asked who you want to see and which building they are in. Without this info they will not permit the visit as far as I know. They will give you a small form to fill in - your name, his name etc. and will ask to see a copy of the photo page of your passport.
After that you can wait around until the time of the visit.
In my case it was always the afternoon so my visiting times were
At around the start of the visit time they will call people to the window to collect their forms and copies of their passport photo pages. (You are best off staying near the window when it is coming up to visit time as the longer you are held up, the shorter your visit will be!).
Once you have collected your things, you then go across the road to the prison. The main gates will be in front of you, but the visiting entrance bears off to the left and you should follow this path (other people and/or guards will be going this way as well). This will take you to the visitor's entrance. Here, you have to hand in any prohibited items (phones, money, bags etc.) but you can keep hold of books, food and anything else you would be giving to the prisoner, and you should receive some sort of receipt or locker key for them (again, try to be one of the first to this place as well, because if you get stuck in a queue, it will eat into your visiting time). When you pass here, you go through a metal detector and then left into the visiting area.
You will be in what looks a bit like a garden, walk down the right hand side to the very far end and there will be an office on the left and one on the right. I usually went to the office on the left and handed in my 'passport copy' and 'small form' to the guards in there and they will then go and notify the prisoner that he has visitors. On either side of this 'garden' there are a series of slide doors where you will sit to have your visit. Your slide doors are on the left hand side of the garden as this is the foreigner’s only side. The building numbers will be written on the doors inside these slide doors, but it usually isn't important if you are in the building 4, 5 or 6 visit section as a prisoner can walk between the three.
You will be behind a series of glass windows for your visit and the prisoner will be about 2 meters away from you behind the same. Conversation is through a series of telephones connecting the two.
How long you have to wait for him is dependent on how quickly the guards notify him, so always be courteous to them (One of my visits lasted for about 5 minutes because of this!).
Af the end of the visiting time, the phone lines will simply go dead without much of a warning.
Leaving the place should be fairly straight forward (getting your things back etc.)
If you want to leave books for him, you go to the censorship office (this is at the right of the main gates, and make sure you write his name and building number inside the books cover page) food can be bought at the same place where you first handed your passport copy in. The shop delivers the food, drink etc. to the prisoners so there should be no problem.
Getting away;
You can get the river boat which takes you to 'saphan taksin' bts station. To get to the boat you would turn left out of the prison and walk to the end of the road or turn right out of the shop area.
Sorry if I make this sound a bit confusing and a bit of an ordeal when it simply isn't, it's just that any sort of hold up or confusion with the authorities can shorten your visit fairly drastically.
Things you'll need;
- A copy of the 'photo page' of your passport (take your passport as well just in case).
- Appropriate clothing (no shorts or anything that shows too much 'leg')
- Remember his building number
- I would buy food; cigs etc. at the shop rather than take my own as it is at the guards' discretion as to what is allowed
- taking books is fine, but remember to write his name and building number on the inside front cover and hand them into the censorship office.
- Be courteous to guards, 'wai' when appropriate - this tends to make them more helpful.
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