Campaign to clean up prisons kicks off

However, the authorities found no mobile phones or contraband items at the Pathum Thani facility’s Area 3, in which some 1,000 male inmates are held, prison commander Athicha Kheosen said. Under new regulations, prisoners are only allowed to keep their personal belongings in lockers, which guards can also access.
A search on Thursday at another prison in the province, where 1,767 male and female inmates are confined separately, also turned up no contraband apart from a few mobile phones without SIM cards.
Search is also underway at all eight areas in the Klong Prem facility, prison commander Nimit Thabwanan said, adding that 10 trucks were needed to take away and discard non-essential items possessed by inmates.
The campaign to reorganise all prisons is in line with Justice Minister General Paiboon Koomchaya’s policy to eradicate drug dealing and other crimes within prisons, as well as preventing the possible spread of disease.