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Former prisoner reflects on Thai jail experience after drug arrest

KOTA BARU: A former prisoner shared his experience of how a momentary lapse in judgment led to eight months behind bars at a prison in Thailand for a drug-related offence.

The man who only wanted to be known as Lan, 45, shared his life-changing experience after spending eight months in a prison in Narathiwat, Thailand in 2008.

Lan said he was arrested in Golok after entering Thailand through an illegal crossing point and for possessing Erimin 5 drugs while partying at a nightclub.

He said the fear of being detained by Thai authorities was overwhelming, as it was his first time being arrested outside of Malaysia.

"Before the Golok incident, I had been arrested several times in Malaysia for drug-related offences. But being arrested in a foreign country was much more terrifying," he recalled.

Lan said he was arrested while partying with a friend at a nightclub located in a hotel in Golok when authorities raided the place and apprehended them.

"We were detained for two days in the Golok police station lock-up before being brought to the Narathiwat court for further detention.

"I was held in remand for two months at the Narathiwat prison, however, because I could not pay the fine, I had to serve a six-month sentence in prison," he said.

He said his fine was set at RM12,000 but since his family had financial constraints, they could not raise the money.

Lan also shared that his court proceedings were conducted entirely in Thai, but they had a Malay-speaking officer present to assist with translation.

"I was shocked to learn that my remand period would be two months. In Malaysia, remand periods are usually only three days to two weeks. But in Thailand, things were very different," he said, adding that communication with his family was difficult due to the distance and high travelling costs for his family to visit him regularly at the prison.

Lan said he also learned that his original sentence would have been one year, but after accounting for public holidays and special occasions, he only had to serve six months.

"Life in the Thai prison is as if you are put in isolation because you do not have any contact with the outside world.

"We weren't allowed to listen to the radio or watch TV, and the only way we knew what was happening outside was when our families visited us," he said.

During his imprisonment, he and other inmates participated in various activities such as carpentry and fishing net repairs, skills which they could use to find a job after their release.

"There were also religious classes taught by fellow inmates and back when I was jailed, there were at least 20 Malaysians also serving their sentence for various offences.

Lan said that experience had been the turning point in his life, especially with the religious lessons he received while being incarcerated.

After 16 years, Lan said he reflects on his past mistakes with regret but is determined to move forward.

He has also completely distanced himself from drugs.

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