A prisoner was electrocuted while trying to climb over a prison wall during an escape bid from Chaiya prison in Surat Thani yesterday. Another man broke an arm and was apprehended, while a third managed to escape, but was later found hidden in a drain.
The body of Wiwat Aksornsom, 32, was recovered after being electrocuted by an electric wire running along the top of the prison wall. Another inmate -- Chatchai Nakchatri, 43 -- broke his arm when he fell from the wall and was caught at the scene.
A third inmate -- Jirayu Leekpai, 26 -- managed to get away, but was believed to have been injured after jumping from the high wall.
Guards were alerted to the escape attempt about 12.30am.
The dead man, Wiwat, had been on remand after being arrested by Tha Chana police for possession of 38 speed pills, and was awaiting a verdict by the Chaiya court.
Chatchai had been jailed for possession of crystal methamphetamine. He had been sentenced to two years and three months on one count and was awaiting trial on a second.
The prisoner who initially got away, Jirayu, had been arrested with 1,752 speed pills, and was awaiting trial.
After he managed to get away, Surat Thani police chief, Pol Maj Gen Apichart Boonsriroj, along with 120 officers and sniffer dogs, joined prison guards and local police in hunting down the escapee.
Officers searched areas in the vicinity of the prison and later found Jirayu hiding in a drain about 30 metres from the prison wall. He looked exhausted, they said.
An investigation found that the three prisoners, who shared a cell, had managed to force open the lock of their cell door before scaling the wall.
Akhom Phusee, head of Chaiya prison, said he had reported the jailbreak and the recapture of the escaped prisoner to the Corrections Department chief. The prison had installed electrified wire on the wall and all prisoners were aware of this, he said. Prison authorities were conducting further investigations.
