?Fortress? Khao Bin

Khao Bin prison in Ratchaburi, said to have the best security protection system of all prisons in the country, is being readied to receive 200 notorious drug inmates being transferred from other jails.

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Corrections Department director-general Suchart Wongananchai (left) talks to Thanawee Prawat, Khao Bin prison commander, outside on a cell being readied for 200 notorious drug inmates being transferred from other jails. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

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Security tight as jail braces for influx of drug-trading inmates

Wassayos Ngamkham

One of the nine 25-metre-high mobile-phone jammer poles at Khao Bin prison.

Khao Bin prison in Ratchaburi has beefed up security in preparation to receive 200 notorious drug inmates being transferred from other jails.

Khao Bin has the best security protection system of all prisons in the country, said Corrections Department director-general Suchart Wongananchai yesterday.

The main feature of this security is a mobile phone signal jammer which operates around the clock.

The jammer is to prevent inmates from engaging in the drug trade from behind bars, a problem which has intensified prompting the transfer of about 200 inmates from other prisons to Khao Bin located in Chom Bung district.

The inmates are expected to arrive in the next few weeks.

Mr Suchart said the jammer at Khao Bin is activated online from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in Bangkok.

There are nine 25-metre-high jammer poles, four of which are in the jail grounds and the rest outside the prison walls. The poles can also cut phone signals up to 100m away from the walls.

"We have to act fast to break the drug trade involving those in prison. If we can't stop this in five years, we will fail. The [drug traders] will rule the prisons," Mr Suchart said.

Separating drug convicts from other inmates helps weaken the narcotic trade. Many drug convicts taught other inmates the tricks of the trade and soon inmates including former hitmen became drug dealers themselves.

The Khao Bin prison in Chom Bung district of Ratchaburi province.

Thanawee Prawat, Khao Bin prison commander, said phone signals penetrated the thickest prison walls, keeping alive the links with drug networks.

Some drugs were also ordered for sale inside the jails via mobile phones at 10 times the street price.

A single gramme of crystal methamphetamine or ya ice, for example is sold inside a prison at 30,000 baht. Outside of jail, the same amount sells for 2,000-3,000 baht a gramme.

Mr Thanawee said inmates took the risk of smuggling in mobile phones because punishments for the offence – up to a year in jail and a fine of 500 baht at the most – were relatively light.

Many inmates do not care about minor prosecutions for mobile phone offences because they are already serving between 30 years to life imprisonment.

Mr Thanawee added commercial banks must help the authorities because some inmates wired money from the drug trade that they conducted behind bars using mobile phones.

Khao Bin prison covers 213 rai of land in a remote part of the province surrounded by mountains. The prison facility itself is on 86 rai of land and it houses 2,502 inmates.

The prison is divided into nine zones with Zone 4 set to accommodate the transferred drug inmates.

Kittipoj Kongpiam, one of the 105 wardens at Khao Bin prison, said supervising notorious drug inmates does not intimidate him.

He deals with a lot of the inmates who are big names in drug trafficking rings.

However, prisoners are "nothing to be afraid of".

"Prisoners are not crocodiles. They won't bite," he said.

fortress – a building or place that has been made stronger and protected against attack ป้อมปราการ, ที่มั่น
Corrections Department – the government department in charge of running prisons กรมราชทัณฑ์
commander – a police offer of high rank ผู้บังคับบัญชา
cell – a small room where a prisoner is kept ห้องขังนักโทษ
notorious – famous for something bad ซึ่งมีชื่อเสียงในทางไม่ดี
inmate – someone who is kept in a prison, mental hospital or other institution นักโทษ
transfer – to move someone or something from one place, vehicle, person or group to another ย้าย
brace – to get ready for something unpleasant เตรียม
influx – a large number of people or things coming in to a place การหลั่งไหล การไหลบ่า  (เข้าไปยังที่ใดที่หนึ่ง)
beef up – to strengthen เสริมกำลัง
security – protection; systems providing for safety from attack, harm, or damage ระบบรักษาความปลอดภัย
feature – something important, interesting or typical of a place or thing คุณสมบัติ
jammer – a piece of equipment used to block a radio, television, or other electronic signal by broadcasting another signal on the same wavelength
around the clock – throughout the whole day and night; 24 hours ทั้งวันทั้งคืน
engage in – to take part in a particular activity  มีส่วนร่วมใน
trade –  a type of business การค้าขาย
behind bars – in prison การจำคุก
intensify – to get stronger เข้มข้นขึ้น
prompt – to cause someone to take action กระตุ้น
activate – to make something such as a device or chemical process start working ให้ทำงาน, กระตุ้น
narcotics – illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine or crystal methamphetamine  ยาเสพย์ติด
involving – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
rule – to have control over a particular group, country, etc มีอำนาจ, ปกครอง
separate – to keep or put apart แยก
convict – someone who is or has been in prison because they have committed a crime นักโทษ, ผู้ที่ถูกตัดสินว่ามีความผิด
tricks of the trade – special techniques used for a particular type of work
hitman – a person who is paid to kill someone นักฆ่ามืออาชีพที่ใช้ปืนเป็นอาวุธ
dealer – a person who sells (illegal drugs in this case) ผู้จำหน่าย
penetrate – to go into or through something แทรกซึมเข้าไป, ผ่านเข้าไป, ทะลุเข้าไป
thick – having a larger distance between opposite sides or surfaces than other similar objects or than normal หนา
link – a relationship between people or groups ความสัมพันธ์  ความเชื่อมโยงกัน
network – a large system of connected parts, organisations, people, etc. เครือข่าย
via – through  ผ่าน
risk – the possibility that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen ความเสี่ยง
smuggling – secretly and illegally taking goods or people into or out of a country or place การลักลอบ
punishment – an act or a way of punishing somebody การลงโทษ
offence – a crime or illegal activity for which there is a punishment  การกระทำผิดกฎหมาย
fine – an amount of money that you have to pay because you have broken the law ค่าปรับ
relatively – somewhat; in comparison with someone or something similar  ค่อนข้าง
minor – not important; small; having little influence or effect เล็กน้อย
prosecution –the process of accusing someone of a crime and asking a court of law to judge them การดำเนินคดีตามกฎหมาย
life imprisonment – a punishment of life in prison จำคุกตลอดชีวิต
commercial – for business purposes เกี่ยวกับการค้า
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
wire – to send somebody a message by telegram ส่งโทรเลข
conduct – to carry out — ดำเนิน
remote – far away from other cities, towns, or people ที่ห่างไกล
surround – to be everywhere around something ล้อมรอบ
facility – an area or building used for a particular purpose
zone – an area that has an important or typical feature; an area where a particular activity is allowed or not allowed พื้นที่, บริเวณ, เขต
accommodate – to provide a place for someone ให้ที่พักพิง
warden – someone whose job is to guard prisoners in a prison ผู้คุม
supervise – to be in charge of an activity and to check that everything is being done correctly  ดูแล ควบคุม
intimidate – to cause to be frightened or ทำให้กลัว, ข่มขู่, กรรโชก
trafficking – dealing in illegal goods, like drugs, weapons or in illegally moving humans from one place to another การค้าสิ่งที่ผิดกฎหมาย
ring – a group of people involved in an activity, especially an illegal one กลุ่มคณะ