A dark cloud has descended on Thailand following the loss of HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 47.
Yet her legacy will always remain. With an accomplished background in law, the late Princess was a tireless a campaigner for penal reform. Inspired by her visit to the Central Women's Correctional Institution, the Kamlangjai (Inspire) Project has brought light to those behind bars.
Born on Dec 7, 1978, the Princess Bajrakitiyabha is the eldest daughter of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua. After completing her education in Thailand, Princess Pa, as she is affectionately known, pursued master's and doctorate degrees in law at Cornell University. Her thesis dealt with the protection of the rights of the accused in the Thai criminal justice process. She was a public prosecutor and went on to become an ambassador to Austria and the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
The Kamlangjai Project was officially launched in 2006. The late Princess thought that social harmony can be achieved when people protect their rights without troubling others. The justice process can partly help, but prisoners, probationers and the accused are not given enough opportunities to reintegrate into society. The scheme does not overlap with the government's, targeting specific groups including female inmates, children of incarcerated parents and young offenders.
Following the launch of the project, the Bangkok Rules were introduced in 2007. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2010, they set out standards for the treatment of women offenders and non-custodial measures for health, sanitation and care for children being born to them. Based on these rules, they have provided a model for female prisons in several provinces.
Certified by the Thailand Institute of Justice, Uthai Thani Provincial Prison became the first to implement these guidelines. Female inmates are treated with respect for human rights. They are never to be touched by male prison staff or shackled when giving birth. They are allowed to be with their newborns and choose visitors to protect themselves from those who may have abused them.
Despite a fixed size of 400m², its female division is equipped with a wide range of facilities from a medical clinic and classroom to a dormitory divided into different sections and a multipurpose room that turns into a karaoke joint. Other female-orientated support includes a beauty salon, laundry store, massage parlour, restaurant and bakery, where they can learn from instructors and develop vocational skills for the future.
"Everything about the Bangkok Rules is good," said Dao, an inmate. "There is no 'but' here. Some inmates who are mothers are allowed to be visited by their children who are under 16 years old. This helps preserve a bond between mother and child. We always have activities that are created for us. They are all very good, so I don't know what more to ask for than this. It already covers everything from hygiene to overall well-being."
To ensure their reintegration, the Kamlangjai Project trains inmates for career opportunities. A textbook example is Oui, a former drug convict, who started her new life as a barista behind bars. Chanthaburi Provincial Prison offered classes on how to make traditional Thai beverages. These drinks are bottled and sold at the Ruen Chan Krua Thai restaurant in the province. With previous experience working at a coffee shop, she was chosen for apprenticeship opportunities and workshops.
"It took jail time to realise just how passionate I was about becoming a barista," she said on the day of her release. "I am grateful for all the training I received during my incarceration. There were many lighthearted moments in the time I was learning how to concoct coffee-based drinks. Having a curious mind, I used to experiment a lot, and so the end results were not always as I planned. However, it did not take long for me to become the top barista. I also developed a knack for remembering just how each person liked their drink. When the prison had visitors, I was often called on to oversee the beverages."
In fact, vocational training allows prisoners, including the LGBTI community, to re-engineer the course of their life. Drag queen Golf and tomboy Tee served lengthy sentences for drug peddling, but decided to use their talent and opportunities in jail for self-improvement. While Golf shared the art of cabaret performance with trans women, Tee treated guests with her best recipes and taught female inmates to build a career in the food industry once they complete their sentences.
"I am also glad that through my cooking skills I can make others happy," Tee said. "Prison life sucks because you have no freedom, but it is imperative to stop feeling sorry for yourself quickly so you can map out the course of your life behind bars. Today, prisons have all sorts of educational and reform courses to prepare you for the world outside, some even prepare a career path. I make the best of this and encourage others to follow suit."
With her passion for art, Golf is a member of the prison band CTS Sung-Te. She is in charge of songs and dance performances. It was formed in 2017 when a contest invited a representative from each of the 30 Chanthaburi prison cells to join the programme. It was a grand event where the provincial governor and guest judges were present. Despite its humble beginning, musical instrument donations encouraged them to perform at a higher level.
"It has been just a year since trans inmates like myself have found purpose, we can do what we love… do women like things like learning how to sing and dance, sew costumes and teach each other makeup skills. Prior to this, I worked with male inmates polishing silver jewellery. To say the least it was depressing, each day was a travail," she said.
Realising the life-changing impact of opportunities, media personalities joined the project to pass them on to those in need. Diva Thanaporn Wagprayoon, aka Parn, recorded a song called Jai Nam Thang (Let The Heart Lead The Way), which went on to become the theme song for the charity project. After being involved in several activities, Thanaporn identified with the mission and wanted to contribute further.
"When acknowledging how much the Princess has dedicated to this project, I suddenly thought that I could do more than just sing one track," she recalled. "Later, I proposed to my manager the idea of teaching female inmates to sing. Finally, after discussing with other committee members, my team and I were given the green light to continue our work."
Initially, Thanaporn committed two months to offering voice training and singing lessons for prisoners who applied, but later reserved every Monday afternoon for female inmates of two prisons in Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi. For two hours, they were given basic singing training, from vocal exercise to breathing techniques and learning musical scales.
By offering a helping hand to these women, it dawned on Thanaporn that it was the right choice to take part in the project.
"I can tell from those smiling faces that they are happy to be here and they enjoy the chance to sing with me. And that makes me happy too," she said.
Unlike her heart-wrenching hit ballads, Jai Nam Thang, a special track for the project, is deeply inspirational. Especially when all of her students rose up and sang it together when the class finished.
"Whatever bad situations these women have been through, I hope this song and the power of music can save them from those nightmares," she said. "Even if just for a second."
