A British teacher who spent five months behind bars in a Thai prison has spoken out about the “inhumane” conditions in his cramped cell of 180 convicts.
Jamie Morton, 30, lived in the country as an English teacher, but shortly after deciding to work illegally after his visa expired, he fell into a life of drugs and alcohol.
In January 2019, Jamie stood on a street corner and claimed he was surrounded by eight people who took him to the Thai Immigration Detention Center (IDC).
Jamie described the prison as “horrible” and a “nightmare”, with prisoners only allowed outside for two to three hours at a time.
He claimed that running water in the maximum security prison was sometimes so scarce that he had to choose between drinking water and showering.
Jamie Morton (pictured), 30, said he often had to choose between drinking water and showering in prison, where he shared a cell with 180 criminals.
After deciding to work illegally as a teacher in the country, the Birmingham man fell into a life of drugs and alcohol (Photo: Thailand’s Immigration Detention Centre)
Jamie was arrested for overstaying his visa, which can lead to fines, arrest and detention in an IDC in the East Asian country, according to GOV.UK.
Jamie, an online coach from Birmingham, said: ‘I was young, living in Thailand and working illegally as a teacher.
‘I fell into the wrong crowd of people [and] Eventually I was arrested by undercover police. It was one of the most disgusting things that happened to me in my life.
‘It was a nightmare, the conditions were so inhumane and horrible.’
Jamie described his ordeal: “It’s very intimidating at first, but over time you live in this community of people.
‘You never know when your end date would be, it was very frustrating. There were probably 180 people in my small cell.
‘Someone who stole five mobile phones would be in the same cell as someone who murdered five people.
“We were allowed out maybe one to two hours a day and there was no air conditioning.”
In May 2019, Jamie became a free man and was flown back to London. He said he was ‘happy’ to be back on English soil.
After his release, Jamie was given a five-year travel ban to Thailand, which expires this year.
In January 2019, Jamie stood on a street corner and claimed he was surrounded by eight people who took him to the IDC for his visa violation
He described life in prison this way: ‘It was one of the most disgusting things that happened to me in my life. ‘It was a nightmare, the conditions were so inhumane and terrible’
“It was a great feeling to leave that prison, but I wasn’t convinced until the plane took off,” he said.
‘Once I arrived in Britain I was delighted to be back on English soil and to see my family again.’
But after returning home, he quickly fell back into old habits, often going to the pub, but in September 2022 he decided to turn his life around and give up drinking altogether.
“When I came back, I had some minor trouble with the law and I realized enough was enough,” he said.
‘I noticed that everyone around me would happily go to the pub for one or two drinks and then go home.
“I would be there until two in the morning and continue the party – I could go out for three days in a row.”
A month after overcoming his bad habits, the online coach met his current wife, Faaizah, and on August 15, 2023, the two got married.
Since returning to England, the online coach has turned his life around, quit drinking and later met his wife Faaizah
Life is ‘completely different’ for Jamie after his ordeal, as he now wants young men to distance themselves from his former lifestyle.
He has since set up an online coaching business to train young men in fitness.
“Being married has changed me completely, but I’m still tempted to drink again every day,” he said.
‘I have a very different life now, but I still have moments where I think and see if I can go to the pub for a few, but it’s never a few.
‘I currently teach online fitness lessons from basic to competition level. Now I want to teach young men how to delay a drink.’
