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Daniel Sancho already facing problems in his new Surat Thani jail
Rodolfo Sancho’s son is already inside the prison where he will serve a life sentence for the murder of Edwin Arrieta.
A few hours after the Thai justice system sentenced Daniel Sancho to life imprisonment for the murder and dismemberment of Edwin Arrieta last summer, he was transferred to Surat Thani prison following twelve months of provisional detention at Koh Samui prison.
This move was not one that Daniel, the son of Silvia Bronchalo, welcomed, as his previous prison was far friendlier and safer, housing only 500 inmates compared to the over 5,400 in his new location.
Surat Thani prison, located in the south of the country on the Malawa peninsula, poses significantly greater dangers. Many of its inmates are serving sentences of more than 25 years, mostly for violent crimes similar to Daniel’s. The conditions are much harsher than those in Koh Samui: cells are overcrowded, often holding more than 20 people, who are all confined for over 12 hours a day without leaving.
The Challenges Facing Daniel Sancho
There are no mattresses, and prisoners sleep on towels on the floor. Exits from cells are rare because Surat Thani is operating at twice its capacity with 5,400 inmates. Police raids often leave cells in disarray and prisoners half-naked, according to reports from Lecturas. The prison’s sanitation is also questionable: with numerous contagious diseases common, it has a mortality rate of 25% every two years.
Daniel Sancho, the son of Rodolfo Sancho, spent his first night in Surat Thani completely isolated to comply with the quarantine protocol of “between 6 and 10 days,” which is part of the strict measures against COVID-19 still enforced in the Asian country. During this period, he is only allowed visits from his Thai lawyer; family members are not permitted.
Another significant challenge for Daniel is the language barrier. Thai is predominantly spoken by the prison staff, with most of them not knowing English, let alone Spanish. According to one of the staff members, upon his arrival, Daniel immediately asked if anyone spoke English and requested an interpreter.
“After the quarantine, it will be decided in which area he will be placed, as there are few foreigners here. Most of them are Burmese and Cambodians,” the staff member added. Meanwhile, Artur Segarra, another Spaniard serving a life sentence in Thailand, is imprisoned in ‘The Big Tiger’ in Bangkok.