A British teacher, who spent five months behind bars in a Thai prison, has denounced the “inhumane” conditions of his cramped cell with 180 prisoners.
Jamie Morton, 30, had been living in the country as an English teacher but soon after deciding to work illegally after his visa expired, he fell into a life of drugs and alcohol.
In January 2019, Jamie was standing on a street corner and claimed he was surrounded by eight people who took him to the Thai Immigration Detention Centre (IDC).
Jamie described the prison as “horrendous” and “a nightmare”, and explained that prisoners were only allowed to be outdoors for two or three hours at a time.
He said running water at the maximum security prison was sometimes so scarce that he had to choose between drinking water or taking a shower.
Jamie Morton (pictured), 30, revealed he often had to choose between drinking water and taking a shower 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 (pictured: Thailand Immigration Detention Centre)
Jamie was detained for overstaying his visa, which in the East Asian country can result in fines, arrest and detention in an IDC, according to UK GOVERNMENT.
Jamie, who is an online coach from Birmingham, said: ‘I was young, living in Thailand and working illegally as a teacher.
‘I fell in with the wrong crowd (and) ended up being arrested by undercover police. It was one of the most abhorrent things that ever happened to me in my life.
“It was a nightmare, the conditions were so inhumane and horrendous.”
Detailing her ordeal, Jamie added: “It’s very intimidating at first, but over time you live in this community of people.
“You never know when your death day will come. It was very frustrating. There were probably 180 people in my little cell.
‘Someone who stole five mobile phones would be in the same cell as someone who killed five people.
“We could afford to go out for an hour or two a day and there was no air conditioning.”
In May 2019, Jamie became a free man and was flown home to London, where he said he was “elated” to be back on English soil.
Following his release, Jamie was given a five-year travel ban to Thailand, which will end this year.
In January 2019, Jamie was standing on a street corner and alleged that he was surrounded by eight people who took him to the IDC for violating his visa.
Describing his life in prison, he said: “It was one of the most abominable things that has ever happened to me in my life. It was a nightmare, the conditions were so inhuman and horrendous.”
“It was an incredible feeling to get out of that prison, but I wasn’t convinced until the plane took off,” he said.
‘When I arrived in the UK, I was very happy to return to English soil and see my family again.’
But he soon fell into old habits after coming home, often going to the pub, but in September 2022 he decided to change his life and give up alcohol completely.
“I started having some minor problems with the law when I came back and I realized enough was enough,” he said.
‘I realized that everyone around me could happily go to the pub for a drink or two and go home.
“I’d be there until two in the morning and keep partying; I could go out for three days straight.”
A month after kicking his bad habits, the online trainer met his now wife, Faaizah, and the couple tied the knot on August 15, 2023.
Since his return to English soil, the online coach has turned his life around: he stopped drinking and then met his wife Faaizah.
Life is ‘completely different’ for Jamie after his ordeal as he now wants to steer young people away from his old lifestyle.
Since then, he has created an online coaching company to train young people in fitness.
“Being married has changed me completely, but I’m still tempted every day to go back to drinking,” he said.
‘I have a totally different life now, but I still have times where I contemplate and see if I can go to the pub for a few, but it’s never a few.
‘I am currently teaching fitness online from basic level to competition level. Now I want to teach young people how to sip a drink.’
