Worawut Rodbun tried to escape from the prison around 12.30pm yesterday (January 4) but was seriously injured when he came into contact with an electric fence. Initial reports incorrectly said Worawut died.
Rapin Nichanon, Director of Phuket Provincial Prison said, "As it was a holiday, there were only 10 officers taking care of 2,595 prisoners, so he took this chance to escape. It is estimated he planned his escape in the morning."
Mr Rapin said a committee has been set up to investigate the incident and how it happened.
"He suffered burns on his neck and cuts on his back. Now he's conscious in Vachira Hospital," Mr Rapin said.
According to the initial investigation, after lunch the prisoners were released onto the grounds for free time. Worawut, 45, walked to an area behind the workshop, around 1.5 metres away from the prison wall.
Here he grabbed a piece of wood which was blocking access to the restricted area, and used it as a ladder to climb up the wall. At the top, he got an electric shock and fell down. He tried to climb up again, but suffered another shock. His leg got caught on the barbed wire, so officers used a ladder to climb up the wall and cut the wire, and bring him down to the ground. He was taken to Vachira Hospital.
Worawut is a Phuketian who has been in Phuket Provincial Prison since March 29, on two counts of theft.
For the first theft, Worawut was sentenced to two years and six months, and for the second, was sentenced to one year and nine months inside.