Phuket Prison: Songkran fuels overcrowding fears

PHUKET: The likely increase in arrests over the Songkran holiday period is worrying officials as the Phuket Provincial Prison is already 408 inmates over capacity.

The six-rai prison is intended to accommodate 708 male and 165 female prisoners. On April 9 there were 1007 males and 274 females detained in the facility.

“We expect more prisoners during the Songkran Festival,” said the director of the prison, Paisarn Suwannaraksa.

Officials considered sending prisoners to other locations, both in Phuket and other provinces. However, those facilities are also overcrowded, they say.

Prison officials are set to discuss solutions with Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop.

— Atchaa Khamlo