Escape from Klong Prem Prison

[Richard Barrow]

I just finished reading "Escape" by David McMillan which is his apparent true account of his escape from Klong Prem. The cover says "The true story of the only Westerner ever to break out of Thailand's Bangkok Hilton." He was in Thailand on a forged passport so he was known as "Daniel Westlake".

Although it is true and happened in 1996, I cannot find much on the Internet. Does anyone know any more background information? Was there anything in the newspapers here?

[Richard Barrow]

Just found the following on an old RSS feed.

THAILAND: Thais hunt for Australian jail breaker.
1996-08-22
BANGKOK

Thailand has launched a manhunt for an Australian who escaped from a high security prison in Bangkok while awaiting trial on drug possession charges, officials said on Thursday.

Daniel Westlake, 46, from Victoria, made the first sucessful escape from Klongprem prison in the northern outskirts of the capital on Sunday night. He was believed by prison officials to still be in Thailand.

"We have ordered a massive hunt for him and I am quite confident we will get him soon" Vivit Chatuparisut, deputy director general of the Correction Department, told Reuters.

Westlake, arrested in December 1993 and charged with heroin trafficking, sawed the iron grill off his cell window and climbed down the prison's five-metre (15-foot) wall on a rope made from bed sheets, Vivit said.

The corrections department was probing the escape and had ordered all foreign inmates chained to prevent more breakouts.

There are 266 Westerners, including six Australians, in the prison, most awaiting trial on drugs charges. There also are about 5,000 Thai inmates in Klongprem, a prison official said.

(c) Reuters Limited 1996

In his book, "Daniel" says he was in Singapore only 12 hours after been locked into his cell for the night. I wonder if Vivit Chatuparisut is regretting his self confidence now.

[FarangBha]

So is it a good book?

Does it have a happy ending?

[Richard Barrow]

Do you really want me to give the ending away?

[The Enforcer!]

Originally Posted by Richard Barrow

Do you really want me to give the ending away?

Hey I always read the last page first so that I don't have to read the book if I do not like how it ends!

(Only kidding)

The Enforcer!

[Richard Barrow]

I think it was a good book. Worth a read. Here is another newspaper clipping. This one from the letter's page at the Bangkok Post:

Bangkok Post October 22, 2000
Use of shackles is going too far

How grossly inhumane that foreign prison inmates should be shackled in Thai prisons following the escape of drug suspect Daniel Westlake from Klong Prem Central Prison. Conditions in Thailand's prisons are primitive enough without the added physical torture of shackling. And why only foreign prisoners? Are they the only inmates "likely to try and attempt to escape from prison", to quote Corrections Department official Wiwat Chatuparisut?

Westlake's escape, the first in 12 years, is highly unlikely to have been successful without complicity - indeed assistance - from prison warders. Many of the foreigners in Thai jails are there for attempted drug smuggling. Their convictions are great window dressing for Thailand's image-building effort by flagging to the world how serious measures are taken to stop the trafficking of drugs through the country. But few of them are career criminals like Westlake, whose connections invariably opened the doors - or provided the ladder - that led to his freedom.

Most foreigners in Thai jails entered because they were gullible youngsters lured by Thai criminal gangs with links to Customs officials. So many tell the story that their passport was stolen and they were offered help in getting it back in return for carrying a small parcel out of Thailand. Others didn't see a lifetime in prison as the flip side of the promise of fast cash. With the dumb mules notching up the numbers, the pressure's off the big guys sending out container loads of heroin.

Senior Corrections Department officials know how and why Westlake walked out of Klong Prem. Their effort to divert responsibility to miserable prisoners - and that they should single out non-Thais - is reprehensible. Their behaviour underpins the moral corruption of the punishment-oriented "corrections" system in Thailand.

Disgusted

Notice this was written four years after the event.

I am researching an article about this escape. If anyone can contribute anything else then I would be grateful. Trying to get in contact with the guy at the moment via the publisher.

[FarangBha]

great! much rather read an article than a whole book - keep us posted.

[Richard Barrow]

As was mentioned on the front page of 2Bangkok.com, I have just published my interview with David McMillan at thai-blogs.com.

Click for Part 1 and Part 2.

Also, we have prepared a map showing his exact escape route from Klong Prem Prison, including the point where he mistakenly climbed over an inner wall which took him deeper into the prison. Click here for the map.

[jpatokal]

Great interview! Wonder if we'll see the book on bookshelves in Thailand anytime soon?

[Richard Barrow]

Thanks. I bought my copy at Asia books. I guess Bookazine also sell it. Elsewhere in the world is September according to amazon website.