Big Trouble In Thailand

British sailors party hard when HMS Bulwark docks in Phuket. However, things get nasty when they have row with a man renting out his jet skis and he introduces a gun into the argument. The tourist police struggle with the growing trend of individuals who use a hard drug known to locals as Yaa Baa that naive tourists often take in a bid to have a good time. The cameras also exclusively capture the dramatic story of a 19 year Cumbrian girl whose two week dream holiday with her boyfriend turned into a two and a half month nightmare after being caught in possession of cannabis at one of the infamous Full Moon parties in Koh Phangan. Locked in a prison with no money and no passport, she learns the hard way of the no-nonsense approach the Thai's have to drug use.

The cameras revisit the Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Phangan where thousands of gap year students and travellers are partying hard on cheap alcohol. A young British traveller has his head smashed with a brick after a local man tries to steal his friend's passports and more. When a local man is arrested Jamie is uncertain if he is the guilty party. Meanwhile, Micha the 19-year-old girl from Cumbria who was arrested at last weeks party for drugs possession faces her big day in court; if found guilty she could be sent to one of Thailand's notorious prisons. Back in Pattaya the Tourist Police have to deal with two off-duty mercenaries who cause havoc in a girlie bar and a drunk England supported who urinates over a taxi driver's car bonnet and gets attacked by the locals for the insult. Finally in Phuket the town is turned upside down when a British Navy ship makes a visit and hundreds drunken sailors cause mischief.

In this programme we meet notorious drug smuggler Marcus Hilton (aka Marcus James) in Pattaya Prison. He is facing a potential death penalty or life imprisonment for drug dealing. He has already served two years in remand and is locked in his cell 24 hours day as he is classified as a high security prisoner. We also gained exclusive interviews with both his daughter and former wife. We are also on sight following the recent Bangkok Airways plane crash in Koh Samui that critically injured four Brits and killed the two pilots; the series reveals previously unseen and dramatic rescue scenes with the brave emergency services and diligent tourist police. Meanwhile, three Brit ex-pats complain to the police that they have been victims of a Gold Bullion scam and alleged that between them they have lost close to a quarter of a million pounds. Finally, in Bangkok we meet famous lady boy Khun Phat who reveals the secrets of why so many British men pay for her companionship.

This week our cameras filmed the aftermarth of the Koh Samui air crash which took place this August. Bangkok Airways' flight ATR72 slipped off the runway and crashed into a disused air traffic control tower, damaging the front of the aircraft, injuring four British passengers and killing the pilot. We gained access to the rescue mission and interviewed many of the survivors. We visited the exotic city of Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand during the festival of Sokran, the Thai New Year, which is celebrated by locals and tourists throwing water over each other. It is also a notorious time for road accidents and our cameras captured a particularly nasty motor cycle collision caused by a drunk visitor.We also filmed with the armed police units who hunt down drugs traffickers in the heart of the golden triangle along the Thailand-Burmese boarder. They conducted village by village searches looking for evidence of drug smuggling. Meanwhile, in Pattaya, tourist cop Howard investigates the exploitation of rare anim

We go inside Bang Kwang one of Thailand's most notorious jails which handles death row and long-sentence prisoners. All prisoners are required to wear leg irons for the first three months of their sentence. We interview a British prisoner who is serving 26 years for possession with intent to sell drug about life inside this high security prison. Back on Koh Phangan it is time for another full moon party and the Tourist Police help a group of travellers who have had their bags and passports stolen. However, the police suspect them of an insurance scam. Meanwhile in Pattaya two men complain to the police that they have been ripped off while visiting a sex show and two girls on holiday get into a violent brawl.

Back on the streets of Pattaya with tourist cop Howard a man having a little rest and relaxation in the city gets robbed and drugged by a prostitute; while another tourist runs into the sea to avoid paying for his restaurant and bar bill. Meanwhile in Bangkok a British tourist dies after a street robbery. Two men on a motorbike snatched her handbag causing her to fall and fracture her skull on the pavement. Meanwhile we meet a group of British expats who have had relationships with local Thai ladies. They explain the benefits and pitfalls of falling in love in Thailand.

This will be a unique film. Never before has anyone been allowed access to film inside the brutal Thai prison service in such detail. This film gained access to film in seven prisons to tell the stories of nine British prisoners who share their fascinating insights, stories and lives. They are inside on a range of offence including, fraud, theft, shoplifting and drug possession and trafficking. We also got access to Ban Kwang, Bangkok Central Prison, which is a maximum security facility. Generally prisoners sent to those jails are serving upwards of 25 years or, in Ban Kwang, are on death row. Executions are carried out only at Ban Kwang. If you are jailed for life then generally you are shacked and locked away 24 hours a day. We also filmed the infamous Thai Kick-Boxing Prison Competition, which is a national competition held across all the Thai Prisons. The winner gets a free pardon!!! The girls' who hold up the cards between each round are lady boys.