Prison still swamped with drug offenders

PHUKET: More than half of the inmates at Phuket Provincial Prison have been convicted or are awaiting trial on drug-related charges, according to statistics released by prison officials yesterday. Of the 1,199 prisoners, 495 men and 109 women have been incarcerated in relation to narcotics offenses. Of the remaining prisoners, 229 are being held for theft, 143 for murder or attempted murder, 48 for sexual assault or prostitution, 18 for assault, 117 for illegal immigration and 40 for other offenses including weapons possession, forgery and arson.