THAI JUSTICE MINISTER, MALAYSIAN ENVOY INSPECT NARATHIWAT PRISON

NARATHIWAT (Thailand), Nov 17 (Bernama) – Thailand’s Justice Minister, Tawee Sodsong, together with Malaysia’s Consul-General in Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi, visited the Narathiwat Prison to inspect the conditions and treatment of inmates, particularly Malaysian prisoners.

Ahmad Fahmi remarked that overall, he found the prison’s treatment of all inmates, including Malaysian Muslim prisoners, to be excellent, with facilities such as halal meals and prayer areas provided. 

“I have met with the Malaysian inmates. They are in good health and doing well,” he told reporters on Sunday after visiting the prison to assess the treatment of Malaysian detainees there.  

Commenting on a group of Malaysians, including a female ‘dikir barat’ singer from Kelantan recently detained for drug-related offences, Ahmad Fahmi said Thai police investigations into allegations of drug possession were still ongoing.  

Meanwhile, Tawee explained that the visit aimed to provide Malaysia’s representatives with the opportunity to witness Thailand’s justice system and the treatment of incarcerated individuals firsthand.  

He added that Malaysian prisoners requiring legal representation could apply through the courts, with defence lawyers provided free of charge.  

“We allow each prisoner to meet up to 10 family members, either online or in person, for 15 minutes,” he said.

Tawee also noted that Narathiwat Prison currently houses 2,860 inmates, 95 per cent of whom are Muslims, with 85 per cent of the cases involving drug-related offences.  

On November 1, six Malaysians aged between 25 and 34 were arrested in a raid by the Narcotics Division of the Sungai Golok Police Station at a hotel near Sungai Golok around 5 am for drug possession.  

Thai police investigations revealed that the suspects were allegedly in possession of 6,000 methamphetamine pills, known locally as "pil kuda," and were also found to have entered Thailand without valid documentation.

-- BERNAMA