BANGKOK, Thailand – Guards at Bangkok Remand Prison secretly set up luxury cells for Chinese inmates. They paid bribes for VIP treatment and sex.
About ten prisoners enjoyed the privileges, paying an entry fee of around 3 million Baht. For extra comforts or sexual services, they forked out another 100,000 to 200,000 Baht per person per session.
Luxury cells hidden inside remand prison
Wasan Phailiklee of the National Human Rights Commission revealed the details based on prison authority data. The VIP rooms were a secret within the Bangkok Remand Prison.
Chinese inmates lived like kings while others suffered in overcrowded conditions.
Entry fee of 3 million Baht, extras up to 200k
Each inmate paid an upfront entry fee of 3 million Baht. Then for every additional request – be it comfort items or sexual services – they paid 100,000 to 200,000 Baht each time.
The scheme ran for months before being uncovered.
Overcrowding crisis: 517 percent in some jails
International sources like FIDH and Freedom Bridge documented 21 percent overcrowding across Thailand in 2025. But some prisons were bursting at 517 percent over capacity.
While thousands endured inhumane conditions, officials secretly set up VIP rooms for a select few.
Two officials charged, four suspended
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) handed the criminal file to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). Two government employees face official charges.
Four more staff were temporarily suspended. In total, six employees fell under investigation, with the process spanning eight months.
Network outside prison walls still unknown
Investigators uncovered a larger web. The secret VIP system connected to coordinators, suppliers, and millions of Baht in cash flows outside the prison.
Who really controlled this external network remains unclear. The hunt for the masterminds continues.
Documentary series tracks the scandal
The documentary series ‘NACC Secret Files: Rust from Within’ covers the scandal in its first episode. Titled ‘Thai VIP Prison, the Paradise of Gray Chinese Gangs,’ it traces how the privileges emerged and who is responsible.
The ongoing investigation will provide the final answers.