On 9 August the first prisoners are due to be released. These will be all those over 60 who have served at least 5 years and have a good prison record. Other releases are due to follow.

Most notably, Alan John Davies, now in Klong Prem Central Prison block 1, expects to be released on 9 August. He is over 60, has served fourteen and one half years in Thai prisons, and has an excellent prison record.

His case is sure to be in the UK press, because he is innocent and spent all that time in Thai prisons entirely due to British Embassy and Foreign & Commonwealth Office covering up of their own incompetence and illegal activities! The evidence John has, with the help of his Thai lawyer, and records he kept over these years exposes deliberate obstruction of justice in his case by embassy and FCO officials. These officials include Minister of State Baronness Symmons and Jack Straw. Even to this day they have DELIBERATELY botched his King's Pardon petition to delay as long as they can his release. Evidence of this has been obtained from within the Bangkok embassy. It is truly astounding!

However, it is hoped that many hilltribe prisoners will be released in this amnesty. Quite a few have recently been moved between blocks at Bangkwang and also to other prisons. There has been a petition drawn up on their behalf which included a call for them to be kept in prisons closer to their homes.

Information provided by Paul Hunt