Experience and Life Lessons of Drug Peddlers: A Case Study of Prisoners in Bang Kwang Central Prison

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study the experience and life lessons of drug   prisoners in Bang Kwang Central Prison. This study was a qualitative research using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The key informants were six drug peddling prisoners in Bang Kwang Central Prison purposively selected based on specific criteria. The employed research instruments was an in-depth interview. Data were analyzed by means of content analysis to obtain inductive conclusions to answer the research objectives. Findings revealed that the experience and life lessons of drug peddlers comprised two main themes: The first main theme was the life experience while being drug peddlers, which had three following subthemes: (1.1) being induced to become a drug peddler consisting of four elements: the family condition that caused one to be a drug peddler, the occupation that caused one to be a drug peddler, the community environment that caused one to be a drug peddler, and influences of social media that affected one as a drug peddler; (1.2) being a professional drug peddler consisting of six elements: residing in the golden triangle area -a drug producing source, carrying drugs into Thailand, hiding and carrying drugs into the inner areas of Bangkok, storing and distributing drugs, money laundering, and collecting debts from drug clients; and (1.3) the ending of drug peddlers including two elements: being betrayed and double-crossed, and having no place to live.  The second main theme was the life lessons behind high walls of drug peddlers which had two following subthemes: (2.1) the life lessons during the justice process consisting of four elements: life learning on the day that freedom ended, life learning on death penalty verdict, and life learning from the events on the execution day: firing and lethal injection ; and (2.2) turning crisis into opportunity comprising three elements: reviewing of one’s life and learning from mistakes, receiving the royal amnesty, and preparing for release before returning to society.