In Reply to: Jailbreak posted by Sal on Thursday, 19. August 1999 at 15:44 Bali Time:
Hi Sal
I Came across the following on the LP Thorn Tree it is a posting in response to a question from a Canadian who thought he might visit a compatriot doing time in a Thai jail. I thought it was an unusual thing to think of but something some of us might be willing to consider. Apparently many western countries have agreements to ship their citizens home to serve sentences for drug related and other serious crimes. I guess the new film about American teenagers framed in Thailand will open up the subject again.
"Contact the Canadian Embassy there (Bangkok) for names of prisoners, then choose one, and arrange a visit (or just turn up at the prison on visiting day), and you can take some things you think they may need too. There is also an office there where you can leave money (it needn't be much) in their name for them to spend in the prison shop...it WILL get to them, don't worry about that!
I have, in the past, just turned up at the jail not knowing a prisoners name even, it's quite easy to get to see a prisoner even then! I just said "Oh, I think his name is Simon something" and they gave me a choice of 3 with Simon as a first name (just lucky I guess), I chose one, who was unbelievably overwhelmed to get a visit, then after a while he went and told the guard he was the wrong one or something, and one of the other "Simons" came out for the second half of the visiting time. Its not TOO hard to get there and its really simple to get in, and its nice for them
to get out even to the visiting area, which of course looks quite pleasant apart from the layers of bars they are behind, it can be a bit noisy as they are about 3M away from you and you may have to shout a little if it is busy but you soon get the idea. For years after, I sent the odd letter and parcel of little things they needed, and visited several times (and also sent friends to visit if they were going to Bangkok). A lot of these people feel very much deserted and forgotten (and mostly have been) so a visit really helps keep their spirits up no end. They can be very confused at first as to why you thought to even visit, and you can see what they are going through in their eyes.
Well I've said enough, just do it & you'll see for yourself,
Do make the effort, what's a taxi ride to you? JIM".
Sorry guys, don't know quite what this has to do with vacations in Bali. Are there many Australians & other westerners languishing in Balinese Jails?