Well-behaved inmates at Klong Prem Central prison in Bangkok were rewarded when they were allowed to play a friendly football game against the visiting Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
PSV, European champions in 1988 and Dutch title winners 21 times, beat Thai Premier League champions SCG Muang Thong United 2-0 in a friendly on Tuesday night.
PSV Eindhoven players including Marcel Ritzmaier (24) and Kevin Strootman (front) enjoy a tour of Klong Prem. (Photo: Reuters)
Rather than spend the rest of their mid-season visit to Thailand engaged in commercial activities or lounging by the pool at a five-star hotel however, the squad, including star player Kevin Strootman, took the unusual step of visiting Klong Prem in Chatuchak district on Thursday.
The players were given a tour of the jail before playing an assortment of prisoners in several 10-minute matches, as seen in this video by the Guardian.
"At first the PSV players were worried and asked me details about the prison and the prisoners,” Corrections Department director Suchart Wonganantachai told reporters at Klong Prem.
"Once everyone relaxed they were fine. They said it was a once in a lifetime experience to play with the inmates.”
Prison authorities often use football as a rehabilitative measure, and Klong Prem has in the past hosted a world cup for prisoners with players from Nigeria, Japan, the US, Italy, France, England, Germany, as well as Thailand.