Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton' (Paperback)

by Sandra Gregory (Author), Michael Tierney (Author) "Every few minutes the evening trains slip in and out of the darkness in Hualumphong Railway Station in Bangkok and I watch them roll on..." (more)
Key Phrases: customs room, Lard Yao, Foston Hall, Rose West (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
'A searingly honest book.' Mail on Sunday

Product Description

Following two years of living abroad in Thailand, Sandra Gregory suddenly became desperately ill and as her medical bills began to mount, her bank account dwindled. In exchange for $2,000 she agreed to carry 89 grams of heroin to Tokyo for a friend, but before she even boarded the plane she was caught by Bangkok Airport security and ultimately sentenced to 25 years inside the infamous Lard Yao prison. In this shocking account, Sandra details the four and a half years she spent in Thai prison and describes scenes of horrific brutality and suffering. She tells of her daily fight for survival, of the many women who died with no medical care or loved ones around them, and of her acceptance of her guilt and ultimate redemption. Amidst the pain and torture, this honest recollection shows how Sandra fought for survival, and prevailed.

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Product Details Paperback: 280 pages Publisher: Vision (January 1, 2003) Language: English ISBN-10: 1904132278 ISBN-13: 978-1904132271 Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #88,269 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #16 in  Books > Computers & Internet > Business & Culture > Biographies #61 in  Books > Nonfiction > Crime & Criminals > Penology

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First Sentence:
Every few minutes the evening trains slip in and out of the darkness in Hualumphong Railway Station in Bangkok and I watch them roll on their tracks, bursting with commuters. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
customs room

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lard Yao, Foston Hall, Rose West, Foreign Office, Sandra Letter, Old Mother Penis, Robert Lock, New Year, Patricia Hussain, Chiang Rai, Cookham Wood Prison, Holloway Prison, Jean Sharpe, King of Thailand, Mare Mooway, Myra Hindley, Pee Pom, Sri Lanka, West Yorkshire, Home Office, Khun Tawitchai, Midnight Express, Ruth Billingham, Sandra Gregory

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 3 books:

• Midnight Express by Billy Hayes on page 47, and page 177
• Scottish Parliament by Laurence King on page 266
• The Ballad of Reading Gaol and Other Poems (Dover Thrift Editions) by Oscar Wilde in Front Matter

 

1 book cites this book:

• Human Traffic_Sex, Slaves and Immigration by Craig McGill in Back Matter

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	69% buy the item featured on this page: Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton' 4.5 out of 5 stars (11) $9.95
	13% buy No More Tomorrows: The Compelling True Story of an Innocent Woman Sentenced to Twenty Years in a Hellhole Bali Prison 4.7 out of 5 stars (3) $12.89
	10% buy Escape: The true story of the only Westerner ever to break out of Thailand's Bangkok Hilton 4.0 out of 5 stars (6) $10.85
	4% buy The Damage Done: Twelve Years of Hell in a Bangkok Prison 4.3 out of 5 stars (16)

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.5 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 8 of 9 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Planing on doing some serious traveling? Read this!, November 9, 2003 By  IndigoKare "indigokare" (San Francisco-area) - See all my reviews This review is from: Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton': Sandra Gregory's Story (Hardcover) I picked up this book on a whim while traveling throughout Southeast Asia last month. Having heard various horror stories about the horrendous prisons there, Gregory's book perked my interest. If you have read Warren Fellow's similar account, read this one! Unlike Fellows, Gregory fully admits her guilt, still finds beauty in Thailand and its people, and was honest about what she thought she deserved. I had a lot of sympathy for her. Like many young travelers, Gregory was naive, sick, desperate to get home, and broke. She agreed to be a mule for smugling drugs out of Thailand. Her reward: 1000 pounds, more than enough to get her back home to the UK. It is not uncommon for young travelers to do Southeast Asia on a VERY limited budget. Many people set out for a year or more at a time. Though SE Asia is very inexpensive compared to the West, funds can run out. Or even if that is not the case, some naive travelers see smuggling (drugs, gems, silk, etc) as an easy way to make some good money. I think that ANYONE heading out to Southeast Asia to backpack through the area MUST read this book. It is a harsh reminder that no matter how easy transporting drugs may seem, it is simply not worth the risk. Many people think "that could never happen to me," but if you read Gregory's story, you quickly realize that it can and does. Gregory was not a repeat smuggler. She had never done anything like that in her life. And she really paid for her crime. There are MANY farang in Thai prisons who were young, naive, first time mules like Gregory. Gregory hopes that her horror story will convince travelers, like herself, NOT do try anything like that. All around a good (though horrifying) read that portrayed a VERY different side of the same country, even the same city (Bangkok), that I had been enjoying. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars very honest memoir, June 30, 2005 By  Julia T - See all my reviews Gregory's book details her life from meeting the guy who offered her money to smuggle drugs, to her life in Thai prisons, adapting to the harsh way of life and finally moving back home to a British prison. The development of her character from beginning to end is evident to all through her concise narrative about her guilt and shame, especially when she speaks of her family members. All in all, this is a haunting real-life story that shouldn't be missed by anyone, especially Caucasians travelling for long periods of time in Southeast Asia. The temptation may be great when funds are running low, but the horrors of prisons in the less-developed regions are not exaggerated. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Crossing paths., January 16, 2005 By  essy (finland) - See all my reviews This review is from: Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton': Sandra Gregory's Story (Hardcover) Having lived in Thailand for a gratifying 5 years, I am familiar with everything she describes and feels for the country. Thailand is a stunning country known as the "land of smiles" but numerous people don't realize that behind those smiles there is an entire different side to Thailand. That life I like most people have never gone through and do not realize how hideous it is. That is what this book is about, a book filled with fact stating the hideous side of Thailand. I was traumatized by some of the events not realizing that such a beautiful country has such a dark side too it when crossing the path of a good person to breaking the rules. I think it is definitely worthwhile reading, it touches your heart so much because you realize that as we speak about the harsh life in prison there are people out there in those hideous prisons which animals control who think they are gods and the prisoners are slaves. Even though Sandra Gregory made a huge mistake the reason for such was so understandable. Even though she smuggled the drugs I think she is a great and caring person helping others realize that you should think twice before smuggling drugs. This is one of the unsurpassed books I have ever read, it isn't an enjoyable book, where you can laugh, it is depressing and sad but so realistic because you know this is a true story, which a human being has been through. Some of the events disgust you but you continue to read because the book has so much gratitude to it.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable & Intriguing, but Depressing, too I felt the gamut of emotions when I read this book. I felt there weren't enough words described by the author for her reason to smuggle the drugs in the first place... Read more Published 2 months ago by A Reader 5.0 out of 5 stars Read in a day... I saw her story on National Geographic's "Locked Up Abroad" and did a google search the next day to learn more about her story. Read more Published 10 months ago by Carrie Hunt Cooper 5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartbreaking and a Painfully Honest Memoir... Sandra Gregory takes us deep inside life in a Thailand women's prison and then into the Durham prison of England. Read more Published 12 months ago by Aimee Thor 5.0 out of 5 stars A Story of Survival This was a rather timely read given the current situation in South East Asia with Sharpelle Corby and the Bali 9. Read more Published on February 19, 2006 by Savvy 4.0 out of 5 stars Scary, but Believable I live in Bangkok, less than 10 km from the prison Sandra was held in. I enjoyed reading the book for several reasons. Read more Published on April 4, 2005 by Ronna Lee Stefan 5.0 out of 5 stars Your life can change in a heartbeat Having been to Thailand on numerous occasions I can clearly see how Sandra became a mule. It is truly a beautiful country, the people, food, culture, way of life. Read more Published on August 16, 2004 by B. Carr 4.0 out of 5 stars Beyond expectation On the way back to Taipei City, TAIWAN, I picked this book just to have something to read on the airplane. Read more Published on January 22, 2004 by D. W. Miller 4.0 out of 5 stars Just Goes to Show Ya . . . that you should always listen to your gut instincts. I happened to see Sandra Gregory being interviewed while on holiday in Wales and was impressed enough to run out and buy this... Read more Published on July 8, 2003 by Donna Bednar Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Vision (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904132278
• ISBN-13: 978-1904132271
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #88,269 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #16 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Business & Culture > Biographies
  #61 in	Books > Nonfiction > Crime & Criminals > Penology

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Planing on doing some serious traveling? Read this!, November 9, 2003

By	IndigoKare "indigokare" (San Francisco-area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton': Sandra Gregory's Story (Hardcover)

I picked up this book on a whim while traveling throughout Southeast Asia last month. Having heard various horror stories about the horrendous prisons there, Gregory's book perked my interest.

If you have read Warren Fellow's similar account, read this one! Unlike Fellows, Gregory fully admits her guilt, still finds beauty in Thailand and its people, and was honest about what she thought she deserved. I had a lot of sympathy for her.

Like many young travelers, Gregory was naive, sick, desperate to get home, and broke. She agreed to be a mule for smugling drugs out of Thailand. Her reward: 1000 pounds, more than enough to get her back home to the UK.

It is not uncommon for young travelers to do Southeast Asia on a VERY limited budget. Many people set out for a year or more at a time. Though SE Asia is very inexpensive compared to the West, funds can run out. Or even if that is not the case, some naive travelers see smuggling (drugs, gems, silk, etc) as an easy way to make some good money.

I think that ANYONE heading out to Southeast Asia to backpack through the area MUST read this book. It is a harsh reminder that no matter how easy transporting drugs may seem, it is simply not worth the risk. Many people think "that could never happen to me," but if you read Gregory's story, you quickly realize that it can and does. Gregory was not a repeat smuggler. She had never done anything like that in her life. And she really paid for her crime. There are MANY farang in Thai prisons who were young, naive, first time mules like Gregory.

Gregory hopes that her horror story will convince travelers, like herself, NOT do try anything like that.

All around a good (though horrifying) read that portrayed a VERY different side of the same country, even the same city (Bangkok), that I had been enjoying.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars very honest memoir, June 30, 2005

By	Julia T - See all my reviews

Gregory's book details her life from meeting the guy who offered her money to smuggle drugs, to her life in Thai prisons, adapting to the harsh way of life and finally moving back home to a British prison. The development of her character from beginning to end is evident to all through her concise narrative about her guilt and shame, especially when she speaks of her family members. All in all, this is a haunting real-life story that shouldn't be missed by anyone, especially Caucasians travelling for long periods of time in Southeast Asia. The temptation may be great when funds are running low, but the horrors of prisons in the less-developed regions are not exaggerated.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crossing paths., January 16, 2005

By	essy (finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton': Sandra Gregory's Story (Hardcover)

Having lived in Thailand for a gratifying 5 years, I am familiar with everything she describes and feels for the country. Thailand is a stunning country known as the "land of smiles" but numerous people don't realize that behind those smiles there is an entire different side to Thailand. That life I like most people have never gone through and do not realize how hideous it is. That is what this book is about, a book filled with fact stating the hideous side of Thailand. I was traumatized by some of the events not realizing that such a beautiful country has such a dark side too it when crossing the path of a good person to breaking the rules. I think it is definitely worthwhile reading, it touches your heart so much because you realize that as we speak about the harsh life in prison there are people out there in those hideous prisons which animals control who think they are gods and the prisoners are slaves. Even though Sandra Gregory made a huge mistake the reason for such was so understandable. Even though she smuggled the drugs I think she is a great and caring person helping others realize that you should think twice before smuggling drugs. This is one of the unsurpassed books I have ever read, it isn't an enjoyable book, where you can laugh, it is depressing and sad but so realistic because you know this is a true story, which a human being has been through. Some of the events disgust you but you continue to read because the book has so much gratitude to it.