Thailand Bail continues its profile of the various Thai prisons that we work at. In this article, we are featuring the Samut Prakarn Prison, located outside Bangkok to the east. Despite the Samut Prakarn Court being located fairly close to Bangkok, the Samut Prakarn Prison is located quite a distance away from the city. It takes approximately 1-2 hours from various parts of Bangkok, depending on traffic. On the way to visit this prison, you will notice how rural the landscape becomes. Once you arrive, you will have to register to visit the prisoner who you are coming to see. Standard registration documents are needed, and you will have to wait for up to 90 minutes to visit, depending on how many people are there that day. The visitation rooms are typical of Thailand, with bars and glass separating the prisoner from the visitor. There are old telephones connecting the prisoner and the visitor, and these usually work. However, you should try to get in the room early to check to make sure you have access to a phone that works. We have seen disappointed families and friends who were not able to have a working phone and simply had to stare at the prisoner they came to visit.

Interestingly, since the international airport (BKK) is technically located in Samut Prakarn Province, some cases involving arrests at Suvarnaphum Airport are placed into the Samut Prakarn Court and Prison System. Others are moved into Bangkok, so it is important to check the location of the prisoner you want to visit. The Samut Prakarn Prison is very far from both Bang Kwang and Klong Prem in Bangkok, so allow enough time to travel between these two provinces.

Overall, the Samut Prakarn Prison is not convenient to visit, and it takes a long time to get there, wait for a visit, and to get back to Bangkok or Pattaya, depending on where you are coming from. Thailand Bail does provide visitation services, so please contact Thailand Bail if you have a friend or family member in prison in Samut Prakarn Prison.