Corrections Department director-general Naras Savestanan yesterday strongly denied that Bangkok Remand Prison provides preferential treatment to some VIP detainees.
Pol Col Naras was speaking at a press briefing after reports emerged that some former co-leaders of the now-defunct People's Alliance for Democracy, recounting their time spent behind bars, said birthday parties were organised for VIPs in the prison.
Pol Col Naras said the prison has more than 3,700 detainees and its Zone 1, which holds those in long-term custody, is regarded as a VIP facility since many well-known figures are locked up there.
Zone 1 contains many elderly inmates and mattresses are provided for them, he said. Ordinarily, inmates are given only three blankets -- one serving as a mattress, another as a pillow and the last one as a blanket to cover the body.
The zone also has sitting toilets in addition to squat ones to cater for elderly inmates, Pol Col Naras said.
About 1,000 inmates die of illness behind bars every year, he said, adding most of the patients are treated at the Correctional Hospital while those with some special ailments are sent to Police General Hospital.
He insisted no inmates were hurt or killed by prison guards, though some fights between prisoners had occurred. About 30-40 inmates take their own lives a year, said Pol Col Naras.
Bangkok Remand Prison chief Krit Krasaethip asserted reports of birthday parties being held behind bars were baseless.
"This is not true. The prison has never allowed this to happen," Mr Krit said.
Visitors however can buy cakes from prison shops for inmates, though not from elsewhere, he said.
Prison shops sell food, drinks and snacks to inmates, who do not want to eat the food provided by jails, he said, adding each can spend up to 300 baht a day from money given by relatives.
Darika Kaminthakun, director of Bangkok Remand Prison's medical facility, said this prison has no VIPs and most of the detainees are those who need special care, such as the elderly and disabled.