Bang Kwang Central Prison, Maximum security prison in Bangkok, Thailand
Bang Kwang Central Prison is a maximum security facility in Bangkok featuring two main structures arranged around a central courtyard, positioned along the Chao Phraya River north of the city. The complex includes designated areas for inmates and visiting sections with layered security separations.
The facility first opened in 1933 under Thailand's Department of Corrections as a place for housing serious offenders. It developed over the decades into one of the country's most significant high-security institutions.
The facility contains spaces where visitors sit to maintain connections with inmates through areas divided by plastic barriers and metal bars. These zones show how families sustain relationships across the physical separation that defines daily life there.
Visitors need to bring passport copies, leave valuables at designated storage points, and wear modest clothing to access the communication areas. Security procedures are strict throughout and must be followed exactly to complete your visit.
The facility operates an internal food system where basic rations of rice and vegetables are standard, but inmates must purchase additional items themselves. This arrangement creates a separate economy within the prison that visitors can observe.
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