News Forum - Riot erupts at Krabi prison over inmate Covid-19 treatment, 300 officers deployed

[Thaiger]

Hundreds of police have been deployed to control an ongoing riot at the Krabi Provincial Prison off the Andaman coast. Around 70 inmates started rioting at around 9pm last night, throwing objects, setting fires, and smashing tiles and plates. Prisoners reportedly threw the riot because an inmate was offered Covid-19 treatment off prison grounds while others infected with the virus had to be treated at the correctional facility. A group of inmates destroyed one dorm and set fire in different areas. Some inmates grabbed knives and tool supplies from the vocational building. Some prisoners tried to climb the prison’s wall, […]

The story Riot erupts at Krabi prison over inmate Covid-19 treatment, 300 officers deployed as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Fanta]

Offered to go to an external hospital? Offered? Odd choice of a word…  Some might say all were offered but only 1 could afford to pay. Would the 70 rioters all be in the Covid treatment prison ward perhaps? Things must be grim for typically submissive Thai prisoners to riot. Solidarity between prisoners just doesn’t exist in the fear filled environment of a Thai prison without a very, very good cause. The vaccination, infection and mortality rate for that particular prison might tell a story.

[Stonker]

29 minutes ago, Fanta said:

Offered to go to an external hospital? Offered? Odd choice of a word…  Some might say all were offered but only 1 could afford to pay. Would the 70 rioters all be in the Covid treatment prison ward perhaps? Things must be grim for typically submissive Thai prisoners to riot. Solidarity between prisoners just doesn’t exist in the fear filled environment of a Thai prison without a very, very good cause. The vaccination, infection and mortality rate for that particular prison might tell a story.

The original in Khaosod is in Thai - first translated to English by Google translate, then re-written by Google re-write.

You're 100% right about how unusual it is for those in Thai prisons to riot - things must be seriously bad, particularly if the local village volunteers are called in.

[AlexPTY]

i could guess what connection that particular prisoner had or he may needed a ventilator. Knives in "vocational" building? Well, that's asking for it, right? 

[Jason]

This is a sign of desperation. When you're in an enclosed environment, the virus can spread easily enough. And when the prisoners are unvaccinated they are in real danger of getting seriously ill or dying. Being in prison just magnifies the fear. As for the vocational store. The prisoners are being taught trades while they are in prison. It's a catch 22. Teach them a trade and they can make a living when they are released and hopefully not repeat offend. That also puts them in reach of tools that can be used as weopons.