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A British tourist has exposed the grim realities of Thai detention centers in a stark warning to travelers. The 29-year-old former soldier, who wished to remain anonymous, endured 15 harrowing days in two police cells and a Bangkok deportation center after overstaying his visa by a few days.
Describing his experience as “hell,” the man revealed appalling living conditions. "There was no ventilation, and 130 of us crammed into one room. We could only go outside for an hour a week," he recounted. He smuggled a phone into the prison hidden in a pack of baby wipes to document the conditions.
The footage shows detainees living in overcrowded cells filled with fire ants and cockroaches. Trash piled up in corners, and detainees had to share four primitive toilets cleaned with buckets of cold water. Meals, served in trays washed on the filthy bathroom floor, were inadequate, forcing detainees to buy pot noodles from a fellow inmate to survive.
"The cell was so tiny we couldn’t all lie down at the same time. Pregnant women and other vulnerable detainees were left crying on the floor in misery," he said.
The British man spent eight days in a Pattaya police cell before being transferred to a deportation center in Bangkok. In Pattaya, eight people shared a six-by-four-foot cell. To ease the crowding, he bribed guards to move some detainees and bring in food and cleaning supplies.
The man also alleged physical violence during his arrest. "Two officers ambushed me in a public toilet, beat me, and handcuffed me to the side of a truck. I was dazed and likely had a concussion," he claimed.
While in detention, he relied on the generosity of fellow detainees, including Russian inmates who explained the process and even lent him money to pay a court fine. Officials reportedly demanded 50,000 Baht (£1,180) to release him immediately, but he couldn’t afford it. He was ultimately fined 2,500 Baht (£60) in court for overstaying his visa and his first night in detention.
The Bangkok deportation center proved even worse. Here, 130 detainees shared cramped quarters with limited sanitation. Washing involved filling small bowls from a bucket of cold water, and detainees were allowed outside for just one hour each week.
The man’s mother worked tirelessly with the British embassy to secure his release, paying for his flight home and covering 500 Baht (£12) per night for his five-day stay at the deportation center.
"I was lucky to have someone fighting for me on the outside," he said. "Without my phone and my mum’s persistence, I might still be there."
Reflecting on his ordeal, the man warned tourists against taking visa regulations lightly. "Many people think they can overstay their visas and pay a small fee to renew them. Don’t do it. The risks are too high," he urged.
He criticized Thailand's handling of detainees, calling the system a "money-making machine" that exploits tourists. “Tourism props up their economy, yet they trap people, deny them access to money, and charge them for their detention,” he said.
The experience has left him with lasting trauma. "I’ll never go back to Thailand. I just want people to know what really happens there so they can avoid becoming victims."
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk
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