11-3-2025 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s Department of Corrections has granted media representatives rare access to the isolation quarters where former Police Colonel Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon spent his final days before his tragic suicide on 7th March.
The 43-year-old former Nakhon Sawan City Police Station superintendent, who faced serious accusations of fatally torturing a drug suspect, was discovered deceased in his cell at the notorious Klong Prem Central Prison last Tuesday.
Deputy Director-General Pol Lt Col Shane Kanjanapach personally escorted journalists through the facility’s Zone 5, where Utthanaphon had been housed. The tour sought to dispel misconceptions regarding the conditions of his confinement and establish crucial distinctions between isolation and the more severe punishment of solitary confinement.
“Thitisan was held in an isolation cell in Zone 5, which is less restrictive than solitary confinement,” explained Pol Lt Col Shane during the tour. “These cells are used for inmates awaiting trial in higher courts.”
Though reporters were prohibited from entering cell number 50, where Utthanaphon had been detained and where investigators continue their work, they were permitted to observe his personal effects still present within—a sleeping mat, water container, basic toiletries, and a pair of sandals remained undisturbed, silent witnesses to his final moments.
The adjacent cell, number 51, was opened for thorough inspection. Previously housing an LGBTQ+ inmate who had since been transferred elsewhere, this empty accommodation featured standard prison amenities: a squat toilet, water basin, and ventilation provided by both exhaust and ceiling fans. Officials pointedly indicated the iron bar on the cell door where Utthanaphon reportedly fashioned a makeshift noose from a towel to end his life.
Contrary to initial reports characterising Utthanaphon’s confinement as solitary, prison authorities clarified that isolation cells permit considerably more privileges. Inmates under isolation may receive family and legal visitors and are granted at least two hours daily in communal areas—freedoms denied to those in true solitary confinement.
The media tour subsequently continued to Zone 1, which houses the prison’s genuine solitary confinement facility. This separate compound contains ten individual cells within a single-storey structure. Though similar in basic layout to Zone 5’s isolation cells, these more austere quarters feature only exhaust fans without the relative comfort of ceiling ventilation.
According to officials, solitary confinement represents a substantially harsher disciplinary measure, involving complete 24-hour isolation implemented in two 15-day periods separated by a five-day reprieve. During this punishment, inmates are denied all external contact, including visits from family members or legal representatives.
The prison hierarchy’s most severe classification, the “Super Max” facilities, remains reserved for repeat offenders within the correctional system itself.
Prison officials disclosed that Utthanaphon’s placement in isolation stemmed partially from his own request and partially from disciplinary issues following a confrontation with guards in Zone 7. This incident prompted an investigation, after which the prison commander determined isolation was appropriate.
Addressing speculation regarding potential foul play, Pol Lt Col Shane emphatically stated that forensic evidence supports the conclusion that Utthanaphon’s death resulted from suicide rather than any external intervention.
The official also addressed a formal petition submitted by Utthanaphon’s sister calling for the prison commander’s removal, noting that such personnel transfers fall under the authority of either the Permanent Secretary or the Director-General of the Department of Corrections. He offered assurances that all concerned parties would receive equitable treatment throughout the investigation process.
