In the world of pulp fiction, Bangkok and crime are inextricably linked. Whilst the city is infamous for its safety record, it is also home to the infamous 'Bangkok Hilton', one of the most notorious prisons this side of the Atlantic. Australian boutique owner cum housewife Debbie Singh's book is set around the true story of her brother John who is charged with committing cheque forgery and slapped with a ten year prison sentence in Thailand's Klong Prem prison. The book narrates the tale of how Debbie campaigned hard for her brother to be granted a Royal Pardon from the Thai king and be transferred to an Australian prison to serve the remainder of his sentence - an event hitherto unknown in the absence of a Thai-Australian Prisoner Transfer Treaty.
This is essentially the story of a sister's love for her brother and the travails she goes through for his freedom's sake. The book also offers readers insights into Debbie's family which originally hailed from Liverpool in England and subsequently migrated to Australia. They are shown as a tightly knit unit which doesn't think twice before lending Debbie their whole hearted support in fighting for the cause of an 'adopted' child. John happens to also have a Thai born son and a wife who has deserted him adding to his rocky life. The book ends with a slight twist in the tale which is not entirely unexpected.
The book makes for a decent quick read. It offers good insights into Thai society and the prevalence of Farang (Foreigner) related crimes in Thailand. There are enough foreigners living in Thailand featured in this book to make you forget occasionally you are reading about Thai prisons and their inmates! The book's language is amateurish which is not surprising given this is a first person account from someone who is not a writer. I have two main contentions with the book. One is that the author assumes a very dominating tone in the book coupled with a seemingly God-given right to classify crimes as petty or serious based on her own view of them rather than how the law sees them. Repeatedly in the book, Debbie makes reference to how her brother has been given such a harsh sentence for committing 'such a stupid crime' as cheque forgery. Well, in my opinion law makers are not stupid when they come up with ten year sentences for cheque forgery. It must be a problem of some magnitude in Thailand to warrant such a serious sentence. I view it as imprudence on a foreign national's part to comment so emphatically on another country's legal system especially when their own kin is involved in a crime there. Another aspect which ticked me off is the marketing line for the book - 'A true story about the Bangok Hilton.' Klong Prem prison where John was lodged is NOT the Bangkok Hilton. It is the other Bangkok prison - Bang Kwang - that houses prisoners imprisoned for extremely serious offences and where executions are carried out, which is the notorious 'Bangkok Hilton.' I am not a fan of authors who resort to cover page gimmicks to sell their books.
Overall, I can only recommend 'You'll Never Walk Alone' for light reading. It may sound bizarre since the book deals with a very serious subject but it is the half-baked treatment of this very subject which renders this a breezy read.
This is essentially the story of a sister's love for her brother and the travails she goes through for his freedom's sake. The book also offers readers insights into Debbie's family which originally hailed from Liverpool in England and subsequently migrated to Australia. They are shown as a tightly knit unit which doesn't think twice before lending Debbie their whole hearted support in fighting for the cause of an 'adopted' child. John happens to also have a Thai born son and a wife who has deserted him adding to his rocky life. The book ends with a slight twist in the tale which is not entirely unexpected.
The book makes for a decent quick read. It offers good insights into Thai society and the prevalence of Farang (Foreigner) related crimes in Thailand. There are enough foreigners living in Thailand featured in this book to make you forget occasionally you are reading about Thai prisons and their inmates! The book's language is amateurish which is not surprising given this is a first person account from someone who is not a writer. I have two main contentions with the book. One is that the author assumes a very dominating tone in the book coupled with a seemingly God-given right to classify crimes as petty or serious based on her own view of them rather than how the law sees them. Repeatedly in the book, Debbie makes reference to how her brother has been given such a harsh sentence for committing 'such a stupid crime' as cheque forgery. Well, in my opinion law makers are not stupid when they come up with ten year sentences for cheque forgery. It must be a problem of some magnitude in Thailand to warrant such a serious sentence. I view it as imprudence on a foreign national's part to comment so emphatically on another country's legal system especially when their own kin is involved in a crime there. Another aspect which ticked me off is the marketing line for the book - 'A true story about the Bangok Hilton.' Klong Prem prison where John was lodged is NOT the Bangkok Hilton. It is the other Bangkok prison - Bang Kwang - that houses prisoners imprisoned for extremely serious offences and where executions are carried out, which is the notorious 'Bangkok Hilton.' I am not a fan of authors who resort to cover page gimmicks to sell their books.
Overall, I can only recommend 'You'll Never Walk Alone' for light reading. It may sound bizarre since the book deals with a very serious subject but it is the half-baked treatment of this very subject which renders this a breezy read.
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