Exposed: secret passage and illicit privileges inside Bangkok Remand Prison

The scandal at Bangkok Remand Prison has widened after Pongsawat Neelayothin, Permanent Secretary for Justice, signed an order reassigning several officials amid an urgent fact-finding investigation. 

The move follows a raid on the prison that uncovered serious misconduct and the involvement of state officers in granting undue privileges to certain Chinese inmates who wielded influence over others, prompting complaints from Thai prisoners and whistle-blower reports to the Department of Corrections.

According to information obtained by the raid team, a group of grey Chinese inmates allegedly paid large sums—reportedly in seven figures—to fly in foreign models and arrange illicit meetings inside the facility.

The inmates were escorted from Zone 3 through Gate 2 to a concealed room beneath a staircase, where the women waited. Entry for the models was facilitated through an internal passage connected to the office of the prison commander on the second floor, allowing them to bypass Gate 1 entirely.

The hidden space, believed to have been prepared as a private reception area, was largely out of sight.

During the operation, officials found key evidence confirming inappropriate activity, leading to the immediate transfer of the prison governor and 19 officers, along with the establishment of a formal inquiry committee.

Five inmate tactics used to secure illicit VIP privileges behind bars

The case has drawn attention to the wider ecosystem of corruption inside correctional facilities, with inmates employing various methods to secure preferential treatment. The five main groups and their tactics include:

• Resource-rich inmates
  Tactic: Use lawyers to negotiate reduced sentences, pardons or temporary sentence suspension, often facilitated by unofficial payments.
   
• Inmates seeking outside medical treatment
  Tactic: Claim chronic or specialist medical conditions that cannot be treated inside the prison or at the Correctional Hospital.
   
• Wealthy inmates with influence
  Tactic: Pay for comfort and VIP-style living arrangements, with some behaving aggressively and others opting for low-profile treatment.
   
• Certain political prisoners
  Tactic: Rely on external political influence to obtain special privileges or preferential handling.
   
• High-spending drug traffickers and “grey Chinese” inmates
  Tactic: Pay extensively for daily conveniences and build networks of fellow inmates or operatives to ensure protection and preferential access.