In prison, with periods and no pads: life in a Thai jail

[snoop1130 11,986]

In prison, with periods and no pads: life in a Thai jail

By Nanchanok Wongsamuth

 

More than 400 packs of sanitary pads donated to female inmates are placed at the Central Women Correctional Institution in Bangkok on November 13, 2020. Thomson Reuters Foundation/The women in that day project

 

BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Tang ran out of sanitary pads while serving time in a Thai jail, the 42-year-old convict bled right through her uniform and all over the white, tiled floor.

 

Lunch was ruined. Tang felt humiliated.

 

That morning, she had expressly asked staff for extra pads, sensing the shame to come, but was told to wait on the say-so of a supervisor.

 

"The officer made an angry face. She asked me why I didn't purchase any backups, and that the prison didn't have enough pads," said Tang, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

 

"I felt so ashamed that I cried."

 

Many inmates in Thailand suffer the same monthly indignity as Tang, jailed last year for embezzlement, and are never sure what sanitary products they will get - if any - or when.

 

Last year, Tang said each female inmate at Chaiyaphum Prison, which houses some 2,100 prisoners about five hours north of the capital, got 12 sanitary pads, 10 times less than the 120 inmates are due under an annual quota.

 

Thai law requires all prisons to provide sanitary pads to female inmates free of charge, but does not specify how many.

 

Some prisons lack budget and can run short, said Saovakon Jeadsadaruk, an expert in penology at the Department of Corrections, the department that oversees Thailand's 143 jails.

 

"We admit that there is a shortage of pads at some prisons, since we are allocated only 50-60% of the total budget that we requested to purchase personal items for female inmates," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

 

MANY WOMEN

 

With women making up 14% of the prison population, Thailand has one of the world's highest ratio of female inmates.

 

Most serve two to five years for drug-related crimes.

 

The number of women incarcerated for violating state or local laws has risen sharply since 2008, when Thailand had 26,321 inmates against more than 44,000 now.

 

Of those, about 40,000 need sanitary pads. Tampons are sold in Thailand but are rarely used for cultural reasons.

 

Nathee Chitsawang, an advisor to the Thailand Institute of Justice, a research organisation, urged prisons to act quickly to ensure they had enough pads to avoid discord among inmates.

 

"When there is a shortage, there is a possibility that problems might occur, such as stealing or being berated by prison officials for asking for more pads," he said.

 

Saovakon said her department has received no reports of inmates stealing pads, but promised she would investigate.

 

Penal Reform International, an international organisation promoting fairness in the criminal justice system, said prisoners with periods deserved better treatment and supplies.

 

"Denying access to basic hygiene necessities like sanitary pads in places of detention is a violation of women's right to dignity and bodily integrity," said Triona Lenihan, policy and international advocacy manager at the NGO.

 

"Body searches can be especially humiliating for women that are menstruating, and long transfers without bathroom breaks also pose a particular risk. Women should not have to suffer in this way."

 

NO MONEY

 

The Corrections Department says it tries to fill the shortfall with donations from individuals and NGOs, and that inmates can buy pads from prison commissaries with money they are given by visitors or have earned from prison labour.

 

But four former female inmates interviewed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation estimate that more than half of all inmates receive no family visits so lack the cash to top up.

 

Many prison stores also have little in the way of stock and sell what pads they get at prices above the market rate.

 

Tang said she relied on a gift of less than 1,000 baht ($33) whenever her mother visited her, then frequently borrowed extra from a fellow inmate, who charged 20% interest.

 

Women's rights groups want the government to keep its word on pads and provide ready and reliable supplies.

 

"All inmates should be provided with free access to pads without any conditions," said Chumaporn Taengkliang, co-founder of Women for Freedom and Democracy, a pressure group.

 

"Once they have adequate access, there will be no need to buy or steal."

 

In September, Tang left Chaiyaphum Prison on royal pardon.

 

She said the prison had not handed out pads all year and she worried about the impact on her fellow inmates.

 

"The prison should provide pads to those who request them without having to go through any problems like I did," she said.

 

"Sanitary pads are the most important item for inmates who don't have money."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-27

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Techno Viking 1,293]

And to think if they did not break the law and end up in jail they would be at home with loved ones and tampons.

 

choices choices.

[jvs 5,648]

5 minutes ago, Techno Viking said:

And to think if they did not break the law and end up in jail they would be at home with loved ones and tampons.

 

choices choices.

What a terrible comment to make!

[4MyEgo 14,925]

9 minutes ago, jvs said:

What a terrible comment to make!

 

Do the crime, pay the time, or would you prefer they have a separate room, with TV, snooker tables, libraries etc etc.

[Lacessit 22,931]

Scotland is going to provide tampons and pads free of charge to anyone who needs them, the first nation to do so.

Obviously some official corruption going on, if a prison gets a budget for providing pads, and only delivers a fraction of them, guess where the money goes?

[darksidedog 50,978]

34 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai law requires all prisons to provide sanitary pads to female inmates free of charge, but does not specify how many.

There it is in a nutshell. It is law, but the same State that made the law, won't provide the money for the implementation of said law.

Runs rampant through the Department of Corrections. Signed several international treaties on prisoner rights and ignores most of them for financial reasons.

And for those harping about doing the crime deserving the time, remember a very significant percentage of those in jail are awaiting trial unconvicted.

The very basics of human decency are missing from the same institution charged with raising inmates to higher moral standards! Laughable under normal circumstances, right?

[jvs 5,648]

24 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Do the crime, pay the time, or would you prefer they have a separate room, with TV, snooker tables, libraries etc etc.

Another bad comment imo but to answer you question,no separate room but tv, no snooker,yes on libraries and enough supplies to feel human.

[douglasspade 278]

Seems there is more sad stories in Thailand than joyous ones these days. It is a necessity to support the incarcerated, guilty or not.

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Many prison stores also have little in the way of stock and sell what pads they get at prices above the market rate.

Why can pads and other stock items be more expensive than buying them locally?

 

Someone is running a business and not a prison!

[rkidlad 32,011]

3 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Do the crime, pay the time, or would you prefer they have a separate room, with TV, snooker tables, libraries etc etc.

Sanitary pads are not a luxury item. They’re an essential. 
 

Prison isn’t just about punishment - it’s also about reform. It’s kinda hard to reform someone when you dehumanize them. 

[HashBrownHarry 1,775]

5 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Sanitary pads are not a luxury item. They’re an essential. 
 

Prison isn’t just about punishment - it’s also about reform. It’s kinda hard to reform someone when you dehumanize them. 

It's about punishment in thailand, not reform.

[Hound dog 100 20]

6 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Scotland is going to provide tampons and pads free of charge to anyone who needs them, the first nation to do so.

Obviously some official corruption going on, if a prison gets a budget for providing pads, and only delivers a fraction of them, guess where the money goes?

Looks like the pads that are provided go to the prison shop. To be at inflated rate.  Not the way to turn criminals into citizens

[NCC1701A 52,904]

8 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Tang felt humiliated

Well at least she got to know how her victims feel. That is a form of rehabilitation.  

[JeffersLos 2,258]

8 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Do the crime, pay the time, or would you prefer they have a separate room, with TV, snooker tables, libraries etc etc.

 

Yes, I would.

 

Especially if the etc etc is extra education and training.  

[bodga 7,218]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Tampons are sold in Thailand but are rarely used for cultural reasons.

??

[Somtamnication 23,592]

In the good old days, with my ex American wife, I used to send her to the menstruation hut. If I tried that with my Thai wife now, she would cut the jewels off!