Prison still packed

PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Provincial Prison remains massively overcrowded, according to the monthly statistics released by prison officials yesterday. The figures reveal that there are 955 men and 204 women incarcerated at the jail, where the official capacity is 666 male and 83 female prisoners. Of the 1,159 inmates, 458 are being held for narcotics offenses, 256 for theft, 157 for assault, murder or attempted murder, 57 for sexual assault or prostitution, 161 for illegal immigration and 70 for other offenses, including illegal possession of weapons, forgery and arson.