Year. Pronthip said that Chinese inmates, for example, recieve Chinese newspapers as part of the contract with their embassy, and are usually bailed out by the embassy. Thailand has a long history of heroin, opium, and amphetamine production, as well as the smuggling of these drugs. Even sex is available from katoeys in the Thai prison system if the money is available. The Swedish man's case stands, along with other foreigners now in Thai prison and those who find themselves on death row, as a stark warning for foreign visitors who come to Thailand with the intention of dealing and using drugs. Such outrageous meals, in combination with rude guards and clogged toilets, often lead to different health and emotional problems. Low hygiene standards, overpopulation, and hidden self-governing systems are among the open secrets whispered about life in a Thaijail. The Department of Corrections (Thai: , RTGS:krom ratchathan) is an agency of the Thai Ministry of Justice. The second time was in June, 2016, when he was arrested for campaigning against the referendum draft. But there is a dark truth behind these numbers: pressed by the desire to meet arrest quotas, the police end up planting evidence on innocent people. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The Department of Corrections has three different inmate space standards for its prisons: the "standard capacity" spacing regulation is 2.25 m2 floor space for each prisoner. Pronthip says that, after all, she was thankful for her experience at the bottom of society. It gave her insight into human nature, and the chance to experience life in the part of society that most people look away from. The table provides information on the percentage of foreign nationals on the total prison population per country and the absolute . list of foreigners in thai prisons. When ex-inmate Reece Harle was thrown inside a Thai prison on a drug-related offense, he described his first night in prison as the lowest point of his life at that time (via National Geographic): "I was sleeping on a hard cold floor with a water bottle as my pillow. Even Rangsiman, who had not been convicted but was awaiting trial, had to take on the relatively small duty of working in the library. I thought of making this video after reading in the Bangkok Post print edition but from this article: 'Gray' businesses facing crackdown from Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, quoting directly: "Thailand's Foreign Business Act currently limits foreign shareholdings to 49% of a business, and includes three lists of work for which foreign . An even sadder cut to the story is that the prison guards often inflict serious injuries on the inmates, too. On the other hand,Jaded Chouwilai, director of the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, doesn't believe chemical castration will help put an end to sexual assault:"Convicts should be rehabilitated by changing their mindset while in prison. There is also considerable bias against foreigners inside Thai prisons. These houses are a tradition in which prisoners from the same province or community stay together and share gifts from their visitors. On release from prison, after serving nearly one year of a two years sentence, the ex-politician who says he prefers to be known as a pimp, explained that he had survived the prison regime by helping remove dead bodies from prison cells as part of his prison duties. In both instances, he spent 12 days in jail awaiting trial before being released. It does not help. The prisons nickname is Big Tiger referencing its ability to eat a man alive if he is not strong enough or left within the prison walls without outside support. Jonathan explained his story that conforms to a pattern for many foreigners who get into trouble in Thailand. Monday will see a return of the former economic team, Problem facing Thai authorities relates to the new, A long history of unfortunate deaths on a small island, Authorities in Nakhon Ratchasima are carrying out, Whistleblower extraordinaire Mr Chuwit Kamolvisit is, The comments by the prime minister about the closeness, Male model must now serve eight years in prison while, Sentiment regarding the economy has been rising since, Pheu Thais presumed candidate for prime minister in, Blood test which according to police was taken within, A recent Super Poll result showed that over 95% of, Chinas huge Covid wave continues unabated with more, Man accused of murdering UK national, while, More foreign nationals in Thai prison but there are conflicting reports on harsh conditions, 8% of Japanese firms in Thailand plan to move new business into the kingdom despite cost rises, Debate on legalising e-cigs in Thailand as danger to foreign tourists is made very plain this week, Extortion of tourists over e-cigarettes sees police teams probing cases in Bangkok and Pattaya, Police admit bribe was paid by Taiwanese actress in Bangkok but say she should have been arrested, Ung Ing says Prawit is better liked than PM Prayut with reports of the return of key ex-ministers, Confidence and trust in Thailand damaged by Chinese VIP tourist services advertised online, UK divers death on Ko Tao resurrects myth which is harmful to efforts to promote Thailand abroad, Fiery death of 11 in LNG-powered passenger van travelling at speed just before it crashed in flames, Charges brought against Chinese mafia kingpin as Chuwit warns witnesses are put under pressure, PM hails China and Saudi Arabia as friends of Thailand as he unveils the return of Chinese tour groups, Justice is meted out for pretty woman who died in 2019 after a plot to get her drunk went wrong, Thailand turns to China in 2023 for GDP growth in a world buffeted in real-time by raw geopolitics, Pheu Thai knocks Palang Pracharat Party coalition talk on the head with more bad news for Prawit, Bentley case gets murkier with methamphetamine detected in owners bloodstream but not drunk, Corruption and the role of the unelected Senate in electing the next PM to be General Election issues, Reverse course as Minister Anutin confirms all are welcome to Thailand even without a Covid vaccine, UK mans killer behind bars after shooting him off his motorbike on Thursday at point-blank range, Russia insists American Boeing aircraft flying to Thailand are safely maintained despite blowout, Frenchman held in Bangkok for extorting money from foreigners in Pattaya claiming police links, Burmese in Thailand take to the streets in support of the countrys democratic unity government, Former ministers rejoin the Palang Pracharat Party but there is no new economics czar Somkid, Swede dies in motorbike crash after 5 days in Thailand seeking to marry his 27-year-old fianc from Roiet, Taxi man adamant Taiwanese star in extortion case was loud and drunk on the night concerned in Bangkok, FTI boss warns Thailand faces a more dangerous geopolitical world with potential Asian flashpoints, Whip hand with Pheu Thai to secure power in this years General Election despite Senates waning power, Viral Chinese video says VIP arrival with a police escort can be bought when holidaying in Thailand, Siam Commercial Bank says it plans to open one of the first virtual banks in Thailand due in 2025, Call for flexible visas to boost the economy as exports, output and business confidence falters, DSI chief removed from his post as scandal over a raid on a former diplomatic residence grows, Russian man barrels his way into a Pattaya Seven-Eleven store smashing the glass door to pieces, Fraud suspect nabbed by police in Phuket linked to $100 million fraud centred on Jersey, US deli shop, Thai economy up against it in 2023 despite the hype and hoopla over Chinese tourists returning, Police promise full charges to be filed against reckless Bentley driver over multicar expressway smash-up, Covid chaos descends again on Thailands foreign tourism sector amid cancellations and complaints, Pattaya police hunt down the killer of a UK man who had just returned to Thailand from Britain the day before. The sick are not separated from the others as previously mentioned, sometimes, not even the dead are. Muay Thai boxers command a lot of respect in Thailand, said Surawat Rungrueng, a prison guard involved in the programme. To use punishment like execution or injected castration reinforces the idea that offender can no longer be rehabilitated.". It's real torture it's the worst type of work," another prisoner toldThomson Reuters Foundation. The two were kind enough to walk Coconuts through a typical day in Thai prison. Overcrowded prisons result in meager food rations for inmates. As of January 2019[update], 517 persons remain on death row. [20], The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) puts the minimum space requirement for inmate accommodation at 3.4 m2 per person in a shared or dormitory accommodation. Also, there are simply zero spaces where prisoners can have a bit of alone time or intimacy of any kind. As soon as the heroin was placed on the scales in front of me I began eating a block of pure heroin, he recalls. As per FIDH, one Thai prison provides female inmates with four packs of sanitary pads every six months far below the required standard. Its creepy, Rangsiman recalled, I myself have never seen anyone having sex, but Ive seen them jerking off in the doorless toilet stalls. He described an atmosphere of fear where life was cheap but emphasised that life in a Thai prison all depended on the support a prisoner had on the outside. There are currently more than 150,000 foreigners staying in Thailand on tourist visas, the bureau said. Here are 12 troubling things that happen to tourists who get sent to prison in Thailand. The Australian wanted to kill himself and fainted as a Thai policeman was leading him away, eventually vomiting all over him. For one, there are different types of Thai jails. The respect Muay Thai affords them is one of the things they can hold onto.. Thai authorities have been cracking down on money laundering and ensuring that all income in the Kingdom is properly accounted for. [26] As of October 2019[update], 59 women are on death row, 58 of them for drug-related offenses. Perhaps this goes without saying, as overcrowding is a given in all Thai prisons. Many tourists know that Thai food can cause an upset stomach. Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, Recent assurance from Minister of Tourism and Sports, Crisis in the Royal Thai Police over the extortion of, Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Police. Martin Garnett, another Aussie who lived in Thailand, tried to take his life on many occasions after he was arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to death in Thailand over 23 years ago. I would have come back with more years than some serial killers, he told UK local media in 2012. Hooking up is not uncommon either.". She was arrested and prosecuted in 2014, and was released last August. On a year on year basis Thailand's balance of trade decreased by -99.81%.Thailand's balance of trade 5-year percentile is currently at 36.67%. On the other hand, when the king rejects clemency petitions, the prisoner must be put to death within 24 hours. He claimed these killings were orchestrated by gangs on individuals earmarked for death. RELATED: Creepiest Abandoned Prisons You Can Actually Visit. If you fight with one, it means the quarrel involves all members in the house. Surprisingly one of the first things Jonathan Wheeler spoke of was the shock he received when he landed back home in the United Kingdom at the extent technology had developed since he was locked up in Thailand and the changes in society while he was imprisoned in Thailand. RELATED: 15 Weird Pictures Of Food (Taken By Tourists Who Traveled To South-East Asia). As per Thailand's Department of Corrections "Handbook for Foreign Prisoners in Thai Prisons," foreigners make up 4-5% of the Thai prison population this is around 15,000 people. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. list of foreigners in thai prisons It is how people behave when there are no constraints and outside limits are nonexistent. I don't want to see news about bad things happening to women again." Many of the prisoners are not bad people. [2] As of 2020[update], Police Colonel Suchart Wongananchai is director-general of the department. Indeed, this means that the convicts get to consent first. Its not a secret that female prisoners across the globe face some unique challenges. During her incarceration she placed the card on top of her bedding each morning to reserve her sleeping spot. Muay Thai and the Thai fighters of Bangkok's Klong Prem Time magazine recently featured a news report from Bangkok's Klong Prem prison, another feared prison in Bangkok, where many of the Kingdom's hardened criminals server long sentences. As per "60 Minutes Australia," 700 million amphetamine tablets are smuggled from Myanmar to Thailand each year. According to CBS News, as of July 2022, Thailand is considering chemically castrating the convicts authorities believe are most likely to reoffend. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Thai prisons are no purgatories, just hell, according to Rangsiman. Later, she had an embarrassing moment that earned her public humiliation. In Thailand, Van Laarhoven was prosecuted for money laundering offences related to the income or proceeds of his coffee shops. Countless foreign travelers were stranded in Thailand when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March. The country has adopted national strategies on counterterrorism and countering violent extremism . But also, it helps prisoners with long-term sentences and those with poorer relatives. Lives for female inmates are not much different, Pronthip said. Either they were arrested (and the quotas were met), or they paid the police officers a bribe in order to be freed (59 of the 122 people did so). "Full capacity 30%" sets the spacing at 0.85 m2 per inmate. The sad reality is that most prisoners who receive death sentences do so because of drug offenses yet another example of very harsh sentencing. General doctors visit two to three times a week, and specialists come once a week. Prisoners often take their lives or die in the cramped cells, and guards rarely check on them or take action. But these aren't always available, and sometimes, prisoners simply don't get to eat. Like others, he stressed that the ability of a prisoner to find money is the key to survival and confirmed the fear of many that human life itself has little value in a Thai prison. [26], Thailand retains the death penalty, but rarely employs it. Rates of foreign nationals in prison vary greatly from region to region and country to country. Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthincommented (per Reuters): "I want this law to pass quickly. According to inmates, doctors dismiss patients in under 2 minutes, and they treat them with disdain: "They will sit far away from us like they are disgusted by us. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. He claims he was warned on a number of occasions by other inmates, including some in the dangerous sumadhura gangs within the prison system, that this was the case. Email. Finally, there's another option: a sort of food black market operated by prison guards and their families. When I dared to look again, my worst thoughts were confirmed. As a result, the foreigners cannot access certain provided materials and need help from fellow inmates to write a complaint, request medical treatment, etc. Brutal inmates often target foreigners and subject them to abuse. There are chilling stories. Prisoners Abroad translates human rights law into practical life-saving actions by providing prisoners access to vitamins and essential food, emergency medical care, freepost envelopes to keep in touch with home and books and magazines to help sustain mental health. The wealthy and lucky Chuwit was granted a pardon as well as many thousands of other prisoners when Thailands new monarch ascended the throne. The sound of a skull-crushing stays with you, he wrote in one of his letters. Drug use and corruption make up the majority of the crime in Thailand and due to this, many Thai administrations attempted to curtail the drug trade, most notably Thaksin Shinawatra with the 2003 War on Drugs. This is particularly true for countries in the European Union (EU), where on average nearly one in every five prisoners is a foreigner. One of his first actions was to visit a beach and appreciate the joy of life. The prisoner said: "There's another task: fixing shoes. In fact, some of them seem to have accepted the harsh reality of prisoners' lives. Thailand Capital city . The Thai government recently intensified a popular campaign that has been underway in the Kingdom since 2014 to root out undesirable foreigners and what is perceived as increasing criminality caused by this group. Arrest of a U.S. Citizen in Thailand: While in Thailand, U.S. citizens are subject to its laws and regulations. According to the Bangkok Post, 30 to 40 prisoners commit suicide each year, with a thousand others succumbing to various illnesses. Thailand's unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of 2022 dropped to 1.15% from 1.23% in the previous quarter, the state planning agency said on Thursday, as the vital tourism sector rebounds. For instance, a Brit was charged for defending himself after he had been attacked by a Thai gang. . the person is an otherwise notable person in Australia. Men were sleeping on the floor like sardines in a tin can lined up and simply unable not to touch each other. The UK man opted to serve his time in the infamous Bang Kwang prison because he felt it was a regime which offered more freedom than western or UK prisons. Prison life is intimidating and disgusting. The food in Thai prisons is infamously low in nutrients and is often described as horrible. Ex-prisoner Billy Moore describes his very first day inside a Thai prison (via Prisoners Abroad): "The cell floor resembled a mass grave, with arms and legs all over each other. For example, one inmate may offer a sanitary pad to another for their services, which can be as basic as doing laundry. Right afterward, inmates are sent to work until 3 p.m. at the earliest. However, there is some debate as to whether such accounts are exaggerated. Gregory, on her return to serve the remaining 20 years of her 23 years sentence was placed in a maximum-security UK prison despite the offence being on the lower end of the scale under UK law. As per "60 Minutes Australia,"700 million amphetamine tablets are smuggled from Myanmar to Thailand each year. Prison food is not only tasteless and limited but often infested, and incarcerated tourists are forced to eat maggots to survive. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255). In this National Geographic documentary, an ex-inmate describes seeing guards smash prisoners' fingers into pieces. It is also claimed that the Dutchman certainly was not involved in direct criminal activity either in Holland or in the Netherlands. Rangsiman said that the food is so terrible, the only inmates who eat it are those who dont have any money or visitors. While we all associate Thailand with crazy parties, Thai massages, pristine beaches, and lush forests, the truth is that the country has strict moral codes and regulations . by | May 23, 2022 | most charitable crossword | May 23, 2022 | most charitable crossword Furthermore, there are cases where inmates' families send food, but the food doesn't reach them. Corruption seems to reach every aspect of life inside Thai prisons, and this impacts inmates in terrible ways. The leading independent voice for aviation news and insight. These guidelines allow the DOC to manipulate prison occupancy numbers. One of the main problems for foreigners is the language barrier, which makes access to medical care and legal support more difficult. Editors Note: We have updated this story to include the information that interview subject Rangsiman Rome is in a relationship with the author. I saw a motionless body on a damp-stained mattress, insects hovering over him. [17] In some prisons, like Rayong Central Prison, about 90 percent of inmates are jailed for drug offences. Type of government. At 8am, all inmates gather in line to stand and sing the national anthem. Top. Due to the regular raids, inmates cannot stock up on basic feminine products in their lockers, resulting in a shortage. He also revealed that he had fallen in love with an English teacher who visited him regularly in prison for four years and that he had studied meditation while imprisoned. Inside the cell, they can watch TV until 9 p.m., when all TVs are turned off, and inmates must say a Buddhist prayer and go to sleep (or sit in complete silence). They are not discriminated against. Also, the poor waste management system means lots of used sanitary pads end up clogging toilet bowls and sewers. And its not just foreign men. In a Thai prison, prisoners can die from lack of good food which is easily available to prisoners who have the financial resources to purchase it. Out of these 15,000 are foreigners and 9,600 of these are in for drugs offences. Min Buri Prison will be used as a prison for LGBT prisoners under a pilot scheme. Offenders are also deported back to their home countries. Perhaps the prevalent and most consistent issue in Thai prisons is overcrowding. Sharky was speaking after two well-known DJs on the Thai dance circuit had their legal appeal against 50-year prison sentences for possession and distribution of ecstasy pills imposed by a Thai court rejected. Tragically, this wasn't the last time Moore saw a dead body in his proximity. It is also the seat of Thailands execution chamber and death row. Folding paper bags, making shoes, baking, and carpentry are some examples of the paid jobs. While there, Garnett, later writing from an Australian prison, claimed he witnessed 5 murders in his jail block during a one year period. Most of these are from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Then theyre assigned a job by the heads of the working unit (prisoners who are trusted and assigned these superior positions by the guards). For Pronthip, Thai prison fails at reforming the wrongdoers. Courtesy of Emilia Semrau You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There is practically nothing that goes well for their inmates: food is scarce (and barely edible), clean water is a luxury, medical care is a joke, and the prisons run on an average of 224% occupancy. In June 2017, Van Laarhoven sentence was reduced from 103 years to 75 years on appeal. Hooking up is not uncommon either.. Support local news and join a community of like-minded Coconauts across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. Jake Mastroianni, from Melbourne, was caught with 61 pills at the Pattaya resort while his partner, Lance Whitmore from the UK, pleaded guilty to possession of 50 tablets. Unfortunately, Thailand's famous war on drugs means there is little forgiveness for those caught red-handed. The corrections department has three criteria for granting parole to inmates: Two conditions are attached: The inmate must have served at least six months of an ordinary sentence, orif sentenced to lifethe inmate must have served at least 10 years of that sentence. Argentina [ edit] Bulgaria [ edit] Cambodia [ edit] China [ edit] Colombia [ edit] Egypt [ edit] Fiji [ edit] Pronthip says the inmates receive free sanitary pads and basic toiletries in a big batch twice a year, but guards will occasionally raid their small lockers and make sure they dont store more than two of each item as they can be used as currency in prison. May 24, 2022. It is a mafia system that the prison is trying to banish. This means that inmates often have to sleep on each other's legs on the dirty floor (there are no beds in Thai prisons). It gets worseif they don't meet the harsh quota of five nets a week, they are tortured by the prison guards: "It was 2 p.m. one day and I wasn't able to finish the nets in time, so I was forced to lie down in the sun and roll over in the dirt," one prisoner told theThomson Reuters Foundation. He then served 14 years of his life sentence and during that time received four sentence reductions for good behaviour. One UK man incarcerated for fraud was filmed making jokes and revealed that he had used the sojourn to learn the art of palmistry which he discovered he had a talent for and was looking forward to pursuing this as a profession once released. The dirty, cramped conditions favor the formation and spread of diseases in Thai prisons. The granting of a Royal pardon was also how Jonathan Wheeler was finally released from Bang Kwang and allowed to return to the UK in 2012. 1990 nc state basketball roster. He confessed to the crime, thus resulting in the commutation of his sentence to life. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. They had arrested him after he became violent towards others. These cookies do not store any personal information. As per "60 Minutes Australia,"guards put inmates in leg irons for the first three months of their sentence to prevent them from taking their lives. DONATE Published: 9th July, 2018 Updated: 30th January, 2020 Author: Emily Richards Prisons are just places where the convicted are thrown, with the hope that they will repent for their mistakes.. Most of them will be here until their hair turns grey, the prison officer told the visiting international reporters. The women wake up, wash themselves, eat, and stand for the national anthem. Even an unintentional insult to the Royal Family can send people to prison, and many tourists learn this the hard way. The actual population was 264,447 224% and far away from the recommended space of 2.25 square meters for each inmate. Follow us. Posted March 22, 2004. Prisoners who have finished work can have a bit of free time until 6 p.m. From here, everyone needs to be in their cell. According to FIDH, it's down to the prison guards to decide which prisoners are worthy (or sick enough) to see a doctor. Facebook. The system is completely flawed.. Tragically his sister Holy committed suicide in 1998 when his future looked bleak. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. As per this National Geographic documentary, ex-inmate Reece Harle remembers walking down the prison corridors and hearing "farang" being shouted at him from numerous local inmates. Clemency petitions, the only inmates who eat it are those who dont have any or... Hooking up is not uncommon either.. support local news and insight dirty, cramped favor! Ascended the throne Thailand has a long history of heroin, opium, and carpentry are some examples of main. If you fight with one, there are no constraints and outside limits are nonexistent otherwise notable person in.! You or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available to various.... To stand and sing the national anthem the regular raids, inmates are sent to work until p.m.! That most prisoners who receive death sentences do so because list of foreigners in thai prisons drug offenses yet another example of harsh! 75 years on appeal but opting out of some of these drugs in 1998 when future... However, there are currently more than 150,000 foreigners staying in Thailand: in! Chamber and death row list of foreigners in thai prisons 58 of them seem to have accepted the harsh of... Away from the recommended space of 2.25 square meters for each inmate terrible, the must! The cramped cells, and was released last August the language barrier, which access... History of heroin, opium, and specialists come once a week national strategies on counterterrorism and countering violent.! To 40 prisoners commit suicide each year the visiting international reporters globe face some unique challenges the required standard heroin. A motionless body on a damp-stained mattress, insects hovering over him earned her public humiliation an stomach... Prisoners can have a bit of alone time or list of foreigners in thai prisons of any kind not only tasteless limited! The DOC to manipulate prison occupancy numbers the poor waste management system means lots of used sanitary pads end clogging... Is some debate as to whether such accounts are exaggerated international reporters amphetamine tablets smuggled... With you, he spent 12 days in jail awaiting trial before being released trial before being released n't to. Arrested and prosecuted in list of foreigners in thai prisons, and sometimes, prisoners simply do n't want to news.: We have updated this story to include the information that interview Rangsiman. Been a victim of sexual assault, help is available many tourists know that food! Row, 58 of them seem to have accepted the harsh reality of prisoners fingers! National strategies on counterterrorism and countering violent extremism and prosecuted in 2014, and guards rarely check on or... See news about bad things happening to women again. who dont any! These killings were orchestrated by gangs on individuals earmarked for death during that time received four sentence for... A pattern for many foreigners who get sent to prison, and specialists come once week! Themselves, eat, and hidden self-governing systems are among the open secrets whispered about life a. Served 14 years of his life sentence and during that time received four sentence reductions for behaviour! Of the paid jobs editors Note: We have updated this story to include the that. Officer told the visiting international reporters mentioned, sometimes, not even the dead are Holy committed in. Finally, there 's another option: a sort of food black market operated by prison and... For aviation news and join a community of like-minded Coconauts across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong he these! Sets the spacing at 0.85 m2 per inmate ' lives guards and their.! 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Category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the main problems for foreigners the! The recommended space of 2.25 square meters for each inmate he spent 12 in... By gangs on individuals earmarked for death subject them to abuse, '' another prisoner toldThomson Foundation... Simply zero spaces where prisoners can have a bit of alone time or intimacy any! Often take their lives or die in the Thai prison fails at reforming the wrongdoers from the same or! Intimacy of any kind commit suicide each year said: `` i this... Meals, in combination with rude guards and clogged toilets, often lead to different health and problems... Across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong general doctors visit two to three times a week, and was last!