Political detainee site 'nothing special'
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The chief of the Department of Corrections yesterday played the role of tour guide, giving the media a light-hearted look at the ongoing renovations of the Lak Si temporary prison in an attempt to dispel suspicions it is being done up to make certain deta
The detainees in political cases would not be transferred to the facility tomorrow(Wednesday) as originally scheduled, he said, as the renovations are still under way and running water is not yet available.
GROUPING THE DETAINEES
Department director-general Pol Colonel Suchart Wong-ananchai said it had not been decided how many prisoners would be transferred to Lak Si.
Once the number has been determined, the department and prison officials would decide on how to group the detainees. Suchart said he would not take part in this decision.
Relatives will be allowed to visit and talk with detainees on the first floor.
The four-storey building is near the compound of the Royal Thai Police Sports Club. Each floor comprises rooms of various sizes. A maximum of 300 detainees can be housed on the second to the fourth floors.
“Air conditioners definitely cannot be installed; they’d all be broken,” Suchart joked, referring to the open-air cells. He was not sure whether electric fans could be installed.
The prison appears less spacious than other prisons, he said, pointing out that the only places for recreation are the halls near the stairwells.
“For security reasons, detainees will not be allowed to use the rooftop,” he said.
The only stress-relief activities likely to be permitted were reading and receiving visits from friends and relatives, he said.
SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR
Detainees will sleep on the floor. Each will be given a cloth mat, a pillow and a blanket. Toilets are in the cells.
The biggest cells are at each end of the building, housing 50 inmates.
Some rooms are designed to house only one person, but two people might have to share these if the detainee population grows too large, Suchart said.
