Riot at Trang prison linked to drug crackdown
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A riot erupted at a prison in Trang yesterday morning, when more than 600 inmates protested against overcrowding and alleged abuse by a guard.
Inmates set fire to a sleeping quarters, burning bedding and vandalising a lot of property before tension was reduced by talks in the afternoon. Prisoners agreed to end their revolt when certain conditions were settled and a “stalemate” was achieved by press time last night.
During the riot, inmates fought off firemen who were trying to put out blazes they had lit by throwing objects at them. A number of fire-fighters were injured.
Prison officials and extra men recruited from soldiers and police later shot rubber bullets at the inmates to relieve the firemen and hold off the rioters. The officials threatened to disperse the rioters at noon but did not do so when the deadline came.
The fires were later put out and the inmates agreed to negotiations, which began at 1pm. Five inmates met with provincial governor Seni Jitkasem and prison officials.
Speaking after the talks, Seni said the riot was probably influenced by the inmates’ opposition to a government crackdown on drug dealing in prisons. A demand that visitors and goods brought to inmates not be searched could not be met, he said.
Referring to another demand to not install devices that jam mobile phone signals, Seni said this was another reason to believe that the revolt looked to be aimed at countering the crackdown.
He said a prison guard, Subin Thanasabkasem, was transferred away from his duties at a prison zone where the riot took place, but not away from the Trang prison as demanded by the inmates.
Seni and prison officials also promised in the talks, with media members present, to solve problems in regard to overcrowding, and insufficient food, water and medicines, as demanded by the inmates.
At press time in the evening, the inmates had calmed down but guards had not re-entered the jail. There were no details available immediately about what action would be taken against prisoners for their riot, or if their actions would be pardoned.
