Bang Kwang Times

The laughs keep coming as the grossly mis-managed "Monkey Economies" show up the theft and incompetence at the core of Asia. Taiwan is the latest casualty now begging at the IMF door. No surprise that IMF cupboards are bare, as Japan, the largest potential lender is itself being dragged under by bad loans and retarded bankers and bureaucrats. Expect China to be next, as Taiwan is it's largest single investor of DFI (Direct Foreign Investment) and long a heaven for China's black market money.

Locally: Thailand continues it's Ostrich routine, ignoring the plunging Bhat (now below 55 Bhat = US $1 and dropping daily) closed down factories, and the bankrupt financial sector - much less retail business.

BKT prediction for 98: An all Asia wipe out, with better than 60/40% of civil wars breaking out across the region, you read it here first.

Even the heavily censored Thai press can't entirely hide the carnage, nightly news casts & Thai press reports reveal a suicide rate rocketing upwards. Estimates range from 20 to40 per 100,000 pop compared to an average of 1 per 100,000 pop (monthly) in the west, as starving Thais murder their children, then commit suicide to avoid a slow death by starvation. On the other end of the desperation spectrum, mass robbery / murders are increasingly common (one per week in Bangkok, probably thrice that number nation-wide) as hopeless peasants murder wealthier neighbours, then rob the dead. Ho Ho Ho, merry Christmas in the "Land of Smiles".

King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Friday Dec 5^th addressing the Thai nation advised his mostly unemployed subjects to "go back to their agricultural ways" and become rice farmers again! This "brilliant" if depressing counsel doubtless summed it all up for his brain-dead fellow Thai's. "The credit card party is over, the bill is due, tough luck beast boys, back to the jungle!"

Check out "Siamese: True Stories" our cartoon series

The lousy economy is blamed as the cause of prison "Inside Visits" (contact visits held twice a year for prisoners and families) with slim pickings for most prisoners. "Goody bags" this year are scanty, featuring cheap fruits and veggies as opposed to the former cornucopia of running ---- electronic goods and cigarettes of days gone by. According to Chai, "friendly guard" (or everyone's favourite black marketer and smuggler in the mail room) no ones ever seen it so bad. Before even the poorest Thais could afford cigarettes at least. This time only a few had visits and no one was happy. My wife apologised for not bringing much. Things are terrible outside for rich and poor alike. Sorry about that Chai. Look on the bright side, at least nobody's going to repossess the prison, so at least you have a roof over your head, unlike your countrymen. Plus luxury items are being sold dirt-cheap. It's not all bad!

In direct contravention of all embassies (see above) multiple Thai prisoners report that the TV broadcast Channel 7; 6PM news of Dec. 7^th (Sun) stated that in honour of the new constitution, all foreign prisoners will be repatriated after a general amnesty in February 98. Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

In their unrelenting efforts to squeeze more bribe money out of smack dealer’s guards are busting Nigerians in even greater numbers. Building 3 dealers have been wiped out, building 2 witnesses 2 or 3 busts a week, and in building 1/Deathrow numbers are thought to be higher than normal. No "inside cases" heroin possession or dealing are brought so long as bribes are forthcoming. " Pay up Brutha’s"

Random Notes & Gossip

Meaningless T-shirt slogans are all the rage it seems. Images paired with nonsense words for bizarre effect. Some notable ones spotted lately (all worn by clueless non-English speaking Asians) "Milky-Land" with a picture of a teddy bear sitting on a crescent moon! "Steel Concept" coupled with squiggly lines arrowing in different directions, "US Happy" picturing a duck with an American flag on it’s back, "Santa Garuda" on a blue background in red with a bulls head above it, "Onus Finished Cat Mother" with a cat in an apron in a kitchen and a sun hiding it’s face behind the scene. BKT’s Ed can’t decide which is weirder the manufacturers or their customers? Believe it or not.

"Farang" is the Thai corruption of the word foreigner with a derogatory twist attached to it’s meaning. This is understandable, as the vast majority of visitors to Thailand come as either sex tourists, or heroin addicts seeking cheap fixes.

This is a brief look at the latter group among the prison population, as regards their unique "sub- culture". Although heroin addiction has recently come into vogue in the West with "Train Spotting etc." The drug abuse in BangKwang Prison is of far older lineage; and is worth a glance from the curiosity-seekers perspective.

The common elements of a heroin addicts life- wherever or whomever they may be, are remarkably consistent, and are not discussed here. These include the never-ending struggle to obtain the drug, conflicts with authorities, eternal money problems and a life littered with broken relationships, disappointment’s etc.

What is focussed on here are those peculiarities that have arisen in an Asian prison setting. These oddities are not strictly confined to Europeans in Asian prisons alone, but they are not common phenomena in the West outside of asylums or other facilities for the insane.

Self Mutilation

This covers a wide range of behaviours, and to a Western Physchologist using the DSM 4 or 5 (the Diagnostic Statistical Manual) used by the psychiatric profession in classifying mental illness basically throws a wide net covering anything in an individuals behavioural repertoire that is harmful to the self. Our net is not so broad, but big enough to catch most of the off the wall stuff.

This is the tip of the Iceberg as far as junkie sub-culture goes a more complete description will be forthcoming in future issues of the BKT. Next issue: amazing drug combo's to maximise highs, an inside look at drug sales networks & more.

Yun Don is Chinese for physical exercise or fighting. Bang Kwang is the name of this place here: The Bangkok Hilton. Do is Japanese for The Way. So, The Way of Fighting in BangKwang.

This is what I teach here. At present I have eight students, who are from Afghanistan, The US, Guyana, Japan, Nepal and Nigeria. There are two main aspects to our training as it is geared towards freestyle. One being semi-contact sparring, when one uses full speed and power but focuses the blow to only just touch, and then withdraw this limb ASAP. I term this technique 'hot water', as one withdraws their hands quickly if they touch that. The second aspect is full contact, which speaks for itself. We haven't any gloves, so blows are focussed at the body with 50% to 75% contact which is continuous, and doesn’t stop with a controlled blow!

We also practise against hand-held punch and kick-bags made here for a small fee. We also use flip-flops as focus mitts. These items are used for both aspects. The lessons are taught in English, as it is the most widely spoken language amongst us foreigners. We do not bow to each other as the Thais bow to commandos (guards) all the time. So we maintain a 'foreigners do not bow policy'. We respect each other's bodies as we all want to train next time, and we shake hands after each lesson. We begin training with a yoga-type stretch plus a few callisthenics. Woven in among these we practise basic moves/punches with elbow blocks, knee and leg kicks etc. We then pair up and work on the two aspects. At times we do a little competition thing (semi-contact) where in a one-to-one match, the winner fights the next person and so on. Another version is to encircle a person and attack one at a time.

Afterwards we do padwork. This is followed by a run across the lawn (approx. 1/4 soccerfield) twice, drop for press-ups, run again, do sit-ups, run again, do ladder climbs, run again and finally end with squats and front kicks. Depending on how we feel we can then repeat the series. From here we go on to the much slower cross or kata. The cross refers to the directions we practise our moves from (left-right, front-back) and repeat. One can start from any point and practise the moves instructed. Kata is a Japanese word for form, or I should say pre-arranged form. Styles are preserved by the forms. We use seven forms up to the first Dan from a Japanese form of karate called Shotokan. There is a basic form practised at first as a guide to the more advanced forms but it is later dropped. Finally we do kneeling meditation for a few minutes to regulate our breathing and to reminisce on any previous mistakes. This ends the session. We train on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, as Mondays and Wednesdays are visit days, which also gives the lawn a chance to recover from the stampede.

My experience is drawn from karate in which I achieved 1^st Dan in February 85. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) in which I fought 19 times in Southern Thailand over a 13-month period (16 wins 2 losses) prior to my arrest. I've also studied kung fu some of the forms and various aspects of external and internal styles from Chinese prisoners during my 31/2-year stay in Thai prisons.

Yun Don Bang Kwang Do was founded in June/July 97 on receiving a letter of acceptance and a teachers certificate from Mr Richard (DD) Hopkins- the founder of WUMA (World United Martial Arts). We have since received licences and grading certificates- all free of charge. WUMA is really big spread over 38 countries. The man that has given us hope is 'Deadly Dicker' (the DD above) who's known as deadly for short. We're eternally grateful to Deadly beyond all words. He's given us a link to the real world. Thanks Deadly!

Deadly can be reached by writing or calling: - Mr R Hopkins, WUMA HQ, Cheltenham College of Martial Arts, Sixways Hall, London Rd, Cheltenham, Glos. GL25 6UT. Tel: 0831334563

Ive watched these guys beat the hell out of each other on the lawn, and I'm absolutely certain that nowhere else in the world prisoners would be allowed to practise this stuff without so much as a blink of the guards eye. Readers should be aware that the group practises right in front of the gate into the building: - so everyone going in and out can't help but see it. Pretty damn bizarre, if you ask me! Life in Thailand.

There's a poison that hooks you with less than a glance,

But you must avoid it; it induces a trance

Be careful not to touch it; treat it aloof

It will kill you're body, and rot every tooth.

When it's inside, it creates an illusion

Don’t touch it or use it it's the ultimate illusion

It'll taunt you & tease, it'll lead you astray,

You could be it's next victim & become easy prey.

When its claws are in it becomes an obsession

You'll do anything to get it, sell every possession.

To feed the habit, it'll finish you're wealth

But it doesn't stop there, it takes you're health.

It makes you think not so clearly

You'll rob those you once loved dearly.

If you don't have it, it creates enormous pain.

You should never have touched it- there was nothing to gain.

It'll even take away you're sense of smell

A horrible substance- the stuffs from hell.

You must refuse it, shout no louder and louder

The poison is heroin: - The dreaded white powder.

11:00am: Briefly awaken for blow-job & massage from a lady-boy! Back to sleep.

12:00(noon): One hour for prisoner prepared special lunch, move to cot near desk.

2:30 p.m.: Pretend to be awake as boss leaves for the day.

3:30 p.m.: Awaken to watch trustees herd prisoners into dormitory cells.

4:30 p.m.: Watch trustees take count after 'lock-down' lock in trustees.

End of a hard day's work. Sleep!

I’m sure that you’ve heard of the infamous ‘Golden Triangle’ (the region where the Thai, Laotian and Burmese borders meet), now an openly advertised tourist attraction. Yes this is where the China White ‘U Globe* 4’(a brand name) heroin is made from opium, which is plentiful due to the ideal growing conditions for the poppy. 2,000 Tons per year on average are produced here, of which 80% is shipped to the US by Teochiu (Chinese) syndicates through Hong Kong; or alternatively by Hokkien syndicates through Taiwan.

A huge amount of this used to be moved through Bangkok (safely escorted and guarded by the Royal Thai Army of course), but there have been changes lately. Now the ‘U Globe is purchased on the Burmese & Laotian sides of the triangle and moved overland through Southern China. Along with their other woes, now Thailand’s ‘darker’ income bites the dust (he, he!) when this product was abundant in Bangkok a bounty was paid by the US DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) for each kilo seized, and the smuggler/victim brought to trial at a Thai Kangaroo court. This provided an ideal opportunity for corrupt Thai’s (I’ve yet to meet one that isn’t) to make extra cash setting up any gullible foreigner who needed a buck. They’d sell their product to a would be ‘Entrepreneur’ who’d in turn prepare the backpacker for their supposed courier mission. The Farang would be ratted on, arrested and the bounty paid. The product sent to the lab for analysis is never near the 90% purity it should be (some is skimmed as yet another earner). The product then vanishes from the colander like holes in the Thai justice system and is ready for it’s real shipment.

I very much doubt if the Thai authorities seize more than a ton or two a year. This is a vicious game played by highly placed people in both East and West who rank as ‘untouchables’ and are invulnerable to outside attack. The ‘U Globe’ is paid for in firearms on occasion in some of the wilder areas, keeping producing areas conveniently ‘unstable’

In the West, the drug money provides an excellent source of funds for the darker operations of secret services thus financing further dirty deeds. The supposed ‘War on Drugs’ is in reality, a hypocritical mockery, concealing governments never-ending effort to stifle civil liberties and control their populations. Don’t say you didn’t know-Now you do!

January: Events as Thailand Collapses

Week 1: Malaysia officially supports Southern Muslim rebels.

Week 2: No sugar available in BKK 1,000’s of imports unavailable

Petrol increases price by 400%.

Week 3: Riots break out countrywide, 2 die in BKK (officially) 6 wounded plus 12 plus 12 police. Unrest everywhere.

Panic buying, food hoarding is now widespread. Expectations are that looting & chaos will erupt any day! CHEERS!

Anyone unfortunate enough to have spent time behind bars is aware of the two main features of prison life. The odd distortion in ones perception of the passage of time, and the endless sameness of days, months and ultimately years. As a result, only events of significance act as markers, signposts along the road recently travelled, 1997 was not overly eventful by BangKwang standards. In building # 2 (home of the Editors) Steve –an American ex-journalist went mad. Renee a Swiss citizen died of a stroke as did Hans, a German ironically ready to transfer back after serving nearly 8 years on Thailand. Also noteworthy was the rejection by the Thais of the proposed change from an 8-year maximum transfer time to 4 years max. This was a grave disappointment to many prisoners, and the cause of not a little anger & bitterness in the spring of ’97.

Summer saw the beginnings of economic storm now engulfing Asia, and an unusually short & dry rainy season (heralding the great El Nino drought now plaguing the region). Fall saw the economy and infrastructure of Thai society ever more rapidly disintegrating, along with more civil unrest and a surge in violent crime. This culminated in the late fall/early winter execution by machine guns of 3 Thais, with another 27 slated for death in the near future (so far unfulfilled). Another clear case of ‘pour encourager les autres’

Winter brought the final stages of countrywide collapse, the re-emergence of an armed separatist Muslim insurgency in the South (now in open rebellion). Critical rice and water shortages in the desperately poor north-east, and the virtual shut down of virtually all industries in the central Thai and Bangkok areas. The universal joy amongst ‘Farang’ prisoners at seeing the hated Thais strangle on their own incompetence and corruption is sweet revenge, but otherwise makes little difference in a world where south-east Asia ranks at best as a seedy backwater.

The BKT Editors can only say that they sincerely hope the economic death of Thailand marks the end of their prison ‘odyssey’ and that ’97 is the last year of captivity amongst savages. We shall hope and see what comes.

Lastly, thanks to all subscribers for your support and may ’98 be a prosperous one for you.